The New Angel Investigations

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 31

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 31 SKIMMING STONES

"There's been a lot of talk about using the stone circles to get around the country, a few here have found out how to make a stone circle work, so we can make a circle at each of our places. Now, if all the hunters and slayers would get here for tomorrow evening, about five thirty," said Dawn.

At two fifteen the next afternoon Richard arrived at Hillhouse with Curremy, he had brought a selection of books for Mark, Graeves and Fred to look at. He found them in the library amidst several piles of opened books.

"Ah, Richard, good timing, come and join us, we're looking for something that may not exist," said Mark.
"I was told what your trying to find, that's why I've brought these books, one of them refers to a stone circle near Lands End in Cornwall. Where there was mention of Druidic sorcerers, prophets and warriors, they were all said to be women. Warriors that fought the non-humans," said Richard.

"That does sound interesting, what is it that your not telling us ?" asked Fred
"A bit of reading between the lines coupled with some imagination. Those warriors could be the slayers and hunters, the prophets could be the watchers or see-ers and the sorcerer could be Dawn," said Richard

"Just here, there's something about the supernatural protectors of the land, oh, it says about the stone circles being people, demons and the like, petrified as stones in those circles," said Fred.

"That fits with this bit," said Graeves, "it mentions about the supernatural protectors of the land and all that is on it, a reference to the stone circle
*12 known as Merry Maidens."

At just after six that evening the slayers and hunters began making sneezing noises at the stone circle. Dana noticed that the sun that was setting, was suddenly rising.

"Dawn, as you know where you are and who they are you don't need to hear this. For the rest of you, you are now in America. Over there is a hole in the ground that was once referred to as the town of Sunnydale. Vi, Dana, Kennedy, Sandy those girls that Dawn is talking to are vampire slayers, they are Cassie, Ruth, Kelly and Claire," said Scherry.

"Come on," said Dawn, "make these people your friends."
"This'll make their holidays a bit easier to arrange as well," said Scherry.
"True, but then how do we inform the authorites, what if the girls want their passports stamped ?" asked Dawn.
"That's easy," said Scherry, "I'll wait till some big jets land then they can join the queue."

Dawn and Scherry took Cassie aside, they asked her if she'd ever seen a goddess before.

"No, but I've heard of them, our friends friend was said to be one."
"She means the Goddess Turee and Willow, Dawn," said Scherry, "Cassie, see that glowing."
"I see it, I've seen it a few times, do you know what it is ?" asked Cassie.

"The coloured domes of light, they announce when a Goddess will appear. When the colour for those domes is blue, it means the Goddesses Turee and
T 'ara will be here. Now when she appeared as a mortal, the Goddess T 'ara was Tara. At present there are three other Goddesses who have white domes, the sixth goddess hasn't joined us yet. Now go and get the others here."

As Ruth, Kelly and Claire came with Cassie towards them, Scherry became the Goddess Medusera. Ruth, Kelly and Claire had almost re-gained their composure when the Goddesses Turee and T 'ara took form. Ruth looked as though she wanted to speak but her lower jaw didn't respond.

"We have been here many times, if ever you have a problem, just think of us and we will be here, oh, and tell us what the problem is as we're not mind readers," said Goddess T 'ara.
"Well, we do have a problem now," said Cassie, "in the late afternoon some archaeologists will get here and continue working in the town."
"Medusera, we'll leave this one for you," said Goddess Turee.

The Goddesses Turee and T 'ara vanished. Dawn looked at the hole.

"Curremy would be good about now," said Dawn, "one thing though, Cassie can't say she's never seen a Goddess now."
"Hello," said Molly, "can you see me ?"
"Yes," said Ruth, "why ?"
"Oh, good, I wasn't sure, your aware of what happens when you die, aren't you ?" asked Molly.

"At a guess, I'd say we take our turn at pushing up the daisies," said Kelly.
"Before you continue Molly, I'm working on the whole immortality thing for slayers," said Goddess Medusera.

During the day the girls bonded with each other, then at just gone three the archaeologists arrived. Scherry went to them and asked them not to continue
but they argued with her.

"We asked them not to, but they kept saying no," said Ruth.
"I have asked them politely, and they still said no, now they will be met with resistance. If they try after that you'll see what a Goddess can really do. Visually first, then the stopper."

As the days light began the fade, the house that Cassie lived in glowed. Then Curremy walked to them. A glowing emanated from the far side of the pit. The team of 'expert' diggers went to see it. When they were all there books, paintings and figurines began to appear next to the house. There was also a trunk from a house in that town.

One of the volunteers that was with the archaeologists threw a small rock to the town, only it stayed at ground level, seemingly floating. It was courtesy of the force field that Curremy had created.

"That'll make life easier for you Ruth," said Scherry.
"We should go soon, make plans, get ready," said Hope.
"What are you going to do ?' asked Cassie.
"By using the stone circles we can follow the demons, but we can also find where they are," said Saffron.

"But, I thought that we'd stopped the evil," said Cassie.
"Saffron dropped you in it, not me," said Hope.
"I blame Giles," said Molly.
"You mean when Buffy didn't go to Sunnydale, because of the wish ?. The only ones that knew about that are the immortals and us Goddesses, these people did not," said Scherry.

"Oh, then I just dropped us in it," said Molly, "sorry."
"Ruth, Claire, Kelly, Cassie, you did stop the evil. But you only stopped the evil in your dimension, you are now in our dimension, and the evil has to be stopped again," explained Scherry.
"I completely understood that, didn't you Kels ?" asked Cassie.

"Oh yes, just don't expect me to repeat it," said Kelly.
"Hope, if ever you need our help, just ask and we'll be there," said Ruth.
"As long as the higher being know first so that this place can be watched, the force field is only to stop the humans getting in, not to stop the demons getting out should it ever work again," said Scherry.

"We will keep in touch with you, but like Hope said we ought to be going, see you soon," said Dawn.

Back at Hillhouse, Dawn wandered into the main office.

"Dawn, Scherry, I'm glad your back, we had a bit of news, it was admittedly third or fourth hand but worth looking into. One of Joe's customers said that one of their suppliers had noticed many dead rats in his area, the rats had bite marks but they weren't eaten. Course it may be vampires being good, it could also be them trying not to get noticed," said Garet.

"We certainly ought to make sure," said Dawn.
"I'll ask the General of the Elite, she'll like that," said Scherry.
"Go on then," said Garet.
"I already have done, she was here, listening."
"Oh, then I hope she appreciates your privacy," said Dawn.

"Oh she does !, I knew her before, I know some of the things that she has done, I could mention about her and Faith just being good friends."

A chair moves by itself. Scherry begins to smile.

"Now that's what I call a private joke," said Garet.
"I'll ask Curremy to help her," said Scherry.

Curremy appeared next to Garet just as he was about to have some more of his coffee. The surprise of Curremy appearing made him spill his drink.

"Oh, Garet, was the floor thirsty," said Curremy, trying not to laugh.

The next day.

"About those vampires, firstly as Garet thought, they are trying not to be noticed, there's about twenty four of them, more of them daily. They are staying in a converted mine site. If we take Pitts and Garet with us, they can be shown the area, I'll make a map for them as well," said Curremy.

The four of them and Scherrys guards went to see the area. Curremy gave Pitts and Garet the map she'd made, of the inside of the mine and the surrounding area. Pitts studied the map, stood up and looked around, while he was looking around Garet looked at the map then he stood up, searching, it was then that Pitts took another look at the map. They continued diong that for a minute.

The General of the Elite touched Scherry's shoulder, twice.

"I agree," said Scherry, then in a slighty louder voice than was necessary, "Curremy, I think these two are mucking us about."

Quickly, very quickly, Garet replied.

"If we find out when there's no-one there, put some holy water in their blood supplies, between these two areas there's a big thick black blanket, if that is placed over the entrance, to make them think it's night out here. Get Dani and Leia to make four more large crosses with the special wood, not far from the blanket and the cross bows are used as back up," said Garet.

"I'd reckon on ten at least drinking some blood, with the blanket remove the noise from the generator will keep them awake, so two days should do it. Should be an easy one," said Pitts.

Two days later, all had been prepared, there were many there to watch the vampires get dusted, for every vampire that died every-one had another glass of wine. Scherry thought that Owen, Garet, Tom and Dawn were taking it a bit far pretending to be drunk, on the scrumpy. That is until later on she had two glasses of the scrumpy and realised just how potent it was.

At the end of the week, Dani, Dawn, Leia and Darla went to watch the occupants of a farmhouse, five minutes from the bridge at Wadebridge, Cornwall. Darla and Dawn set up a stone circle for the girls to use. Over the following two days they counted thirteen vampires there. Curremy joined them as did ten of the girls, Dawn was sent back to Hillhouse as humans were to be kept away from the area.

Curremy noticed that two of the vampires were in one of the outbuildings, Dana, Kennedy and Diana were sent to ensure the vampires didn't go back to the house. When the sun had just gone below the horizon, six vampires were seen on the move to the town by the short cut, seven of the girls made sure that those vampires never took another shortcut again.

Molly, Diana and Sandy were watching the front of the house when the front door opened, a vampire began to walk away from the house but he saw the girls , he rushed back inside shouting a warning to the others. Molly and Diana chased after him, Sandy was a few paces behind them.

Diana pushed the door open wide, Molly raised her sword to attack the first demon, one step inside the door she saw one, her sword sliced thought the air, through the image of the demon and through Diana, her head hit the floor just before her legs began to fall. Molly turned to Sandy, but all she saw were the police cars coming fat up the driveway.

All the girls except Molly and Diana were suddenly at Tintagel, a surprised Westy, Willow, Tom and Graeves looked at them as Sandy screamed out loud, bursting into tears. Scherry was at Hillhouse deep in conversation with Sally, Garet, Chaser and Dawn when she heard Diana's scream. Scherry stood up, said Diana has just been killed, then instantly she was Goddess Medusera and she vanished.

The police officers saw Diana being killed and back up was called, the driver stopped the car, got out and ran to the house as Goddess Curremy created a force field around the house. He saw a glow from the house as Goddess Medusera arrived to comfort Molly. Two more police cars sped up the driveway, but all they saw was the glow from the Goddesses Turee and T 'ara. Molly was told to go with the police and do as they say.

"As you wish, so will I do," said Molly.

The Goddess left. Molly went to the police and removed her weapons.
An hour later there was pandemonium at the police station, Molly's finger-prints had come back telling that she had died a few years before in the town of Sunnydale on the west coast of America.

At six seventeen the next morning, in the little hospital in Wadebridge a young girl who had been in a coma for six days awoke, as if she had been asleep for the night. A woman in her late thirties who had been put on the life support machine two hours earlier sat up. Nurses stopped their rounds and went to her, she looked at them.

"They are coming !, they will be here soon !, they are coming for her !, they are here !."

The sound of feet was heard through-out the hospital, though nothing, no-one could be seen.

The police were preparing for the day when Diana walked in.

"You've got my friend here, can I see her please ?"

The officer stared at Diana open mouthed.

"Um, er I, I, I suppose so, I'll get her."

Molly looked at her friend then the police man.

"Can I go now ?"
"Sure," he replied.

Before he could utter anything else the phone began ringing, he answered it, it was the hospital. Two doctors were in the morgue getting ready to put both parts of Diana's body back together. As they sorted out the impliments on the trolley they became aware of the glowing from Diana's body.

Reports of what was happening spread like wildfire, especially when the sky around the town began to get brighter, then seven hundred armed women instantaneously appeared around the hospital. Throughout the town and the hospital the peel of church bells was heard, The two men in the morgue watched as Diana's body glowed brighter.

In the room appeared the Goddess T 'ara with the Generals of Byzantium Angel and Faith. The covers over Diana were removed by an unseen hand, then Diana stood wearing the uniform of the Riders of Bouicandeni.

"Welcome back Diana," said Faith and Angel.

At Hillhouse Dawn was on the sofa, being comforted by Garet and Sue as the sound of church bells drifted through the rooms. Dawn looked up, tears in her eyes.

"Where's that sound coming from ?"

The room filled with a beautiful blue light and the Goddess Turee appeared.

"Don't cry Dawn, Diana is an immortal now, she is a Rider of Bouicandeni."


*12
The Merry Maidens stone circle. Near the village of Boleigh and the city of Penzance, Cornwall

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 32

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 32 IPPLEPEN CHURCH

"I was told that vampires need to drink blood," said Westy.
"I might be able to get my energy from normal food, but I'd still need to get the extra benefit from blood," said Wesley.
"True, but at least it can be animal blood," stated Graeves.
"Ooh I wonder, maybe I could get a research grant," said Pitts.

"Dear Mr Government Minister, my name is Pitts, I would like a research grant to enable me to study the effects of vampirism; what part of them is affected by demons and how some vampires can become non-human blood drinkers. PS I am a human vampire, I am also eternal, The Keeper of The Light, the one at the end of the tunnel that you will see when you die, yours sincerely.....," said Hope.

"I suppose that private funding might be a bit hard to come by as well. It was a good thought though, I think," said Pitts.
"We'll take care of first things first, then I'll get to you. Garet can you get Jill and Susan here, soon if not now. Hope can you go and get Dawn, I'll start to prepare the empty room for the locator spells, I'll need you and Dawn there with me," said Scherry.

"Anne, before you come with me can you get Joe, then put the other girls on defcon 1," said Scherry.
"What do you think Pitts ?" asked Garet, "if anyone should be in charge of us humans, Scherry might be the right choice."
"Normally I'd say yes, trouble is, she would be in control of the girls, but get her to recommend some-one," said Pitts.

Several flashes were seen from the spare room. Scherry took two people into the main office.
Garet, Pitts, these two are Anderoth and Serajoss, they are Generals of the Infantry and the Cavalry of Bouicandeni repectively (Serajoss can be pronounced Sir Joss).

At the farm near Tintagel Westy was listening to one of his favourite songs on the radio, unfortunately for everybody else he was singing along with it. Curremy was being taught how to play Bridge by Willow, Kennedy and Davina.

"You'll need another partner Willow, I am being called," said Curremy.

Curremy stood up, began to glow then vanished.

"She doesn't do that very often, it must be important," said Westy.

All the hunters and slayers clothing changed to the battle dress. Molly appeared in the room, she looked around.

"The Goddess Medusera calls us, be ready."

At Hillhouse the slayers and the hunters began to appear, reponding to the Goddess Medusera's call.

"Where do you want us to go ?" asked Hope.
"Some people were chased by vampires into the church at Ipplepen. Several vampires have them trapped in there," said Goddess Medusera.
"When you say several, how many do you mean, and how many people ?"

"There are twenty seven vampires with fifteen people in the church. An immortal hunter, one that you do not know of, she was tracking the rest of the vampire witches when that happened," said the Goddess.
"So let us be there," said Hope.

The Goddess Medusera made the hunters and slayers appear next to the church at Ipplepen.

"Those in the church will be protected," said the Goddess, "Dana, you take the slayers to the entrance and keep the path clear, the immortals will be with you soon. Both sides of the church will be cleared, so stay at the entry."
"We will push any vampires that survive your way Dana," said Hope.
"We'll be ready first, so send them when your ready," said Dana.

Two police cars with flashing lights screeched to a holt at the entrance to the church, a policeman got out of his car and dashed to the church, just as Saffron appeared. He froze.
Buffy, Faith and Angel appeared inside the church. Buffy and Faith knelt facing the church doors, their cross bows loaded and ready. Angel convinced those in the church to move to the central aisle.

Anthea, Anne, Hope Dani and Leia went to the covered side of the church where they found five vampires, The hunters fired their crossbow but they had only targetted two of the vampires.

"Keep your distance from each other, use the swords ," said Anthea.

Leia confronted two of the vampires, she raised her sword as if to strike, as the vampires went to defend themselves Leia brought the dagger up, distracting the vampires, with all the strength she could use, the sword removed both the demon's heads with one blow, the vampires movement to defend themselves was never finished. Anthea told Anne and Leia to join her at the entry, the others went to the other end of the graveyard.

Anthea Leia and Anne ran to the church doors, as Anne opened the doors Buffy, Faith and Angel disappeared.

"The path is clear, it is protected, do not stop and don't look back," said Anne

A young looking girl stopped by Anne.

"Thank you," she said, "my mother and I will be in your shop tomorrow, I hope we see you."

The girl ran to be with her mother. Saffron approached the policeman.

"The un-dead will not trouble them again."

Anne felt a sense of pride, knowing that she had been recognised. The immortal hunters and the slayers moved around the end of the church towards the side, Fiona and Davina positioned themselves at the other end of the church. Molly moved along the line of the girls quietly telling them to get down behind the headstones and when she shouted kneel to stand and fire, Molly thought her plan to Hope.

"Kneel !" shouted Molly.

The vampires were surprised by the sudden appearance and by the little arrows. The vampire's, not seeing any-one other than Molly ran to that end, six of them became dust, surprised, the rest turned and ran to Hope's end as Vi exclaimed that they were outnumbered, the vampires almost attacked as Hope shouted Kneel. Dana stood, she saw the flashes of some of the blades.

Then she saw the dust flowing with the wind. The slayers and hunters congratulated each other just in time, as they were all transported to be near a wall, near a farmhouse, close to the village of Dittisham. The Goddess Medusera emerged, she told them to stay below the top of the wall and wait.

Blue ran through the house slamming the front door open, then the back door, the God Pan ran after her screaming at the vampires to get her, he was chased by Herne The Hunter, loudly calling out that he was chasing a demon hunter.

As he 'chased' Pan he cast his spell, the vampires in the house joined in the chase, they followed Herne to near the wall. The girls stood and faced the vampires who stopped, the realisation of what just happened struck them just before the crossbow arrows caused them to be engulfed in dust.

In the library at Hillhouse Graeves heard a womans voice in his head, he told all of them to go outside with him.

"It has been done, what the hunters and the slayers were called for. The Generals of Bouicandeni are leading their armies home. May, please return with us, 'he' wants your company again, Fred will take your place here."

An eerie silence circled Hillhouse, all the slayers and hunters had gone. Fred saw the Goddesses Turee and T 'ara smile a knowing smile to each other.

"The vampires have gone, maybe we can relax for a while," said the Goddess Turee.
"That wasn't the last of them, but yes we can relax for a while now," replied the Goddess T 'ara.
"Before you go, Mark, Richard, Fred and I were doing some research, we were trying to find any accounts of the protectors of the lands, but all we found were references to witches being turned to stones," said Graeves.

"What did you expect to find, mentions of some girls that appeared at one end of the country, then the other in the same day ? of them killing demons ?,
the only ones who could have written about them are their friends. Just suppose that you wrote that the Merry Maidens were in fact demon hunters, if the evil ones read your story, how long would any stone circle stay standing for ?" asked Goddess T 'ara.

"The other stone circles ? the ones that are said to be witches ?" asked Mark.
"Who is said to have turned people into stone ?" asked Goddess Turee.
"Wait a minute, your saying that there really is a Goddess Medusa, and that she can turn people into stone ?" asked Richard.

"Just think about it, you see her as a friend, so Medusa, Medusera, which name do you know her as ? was it her randomly turning people or witches to stone, or was it her turning demons to stone. The name you'll recognise from a victim of hers is the demon Acathla."

"So, what should we do now ?" asked Richard.
"If you were to stay at Tintagel, Tuckenhay and Hillhouse if the girls were to rise again they would have somewhere to go," said The Goddess Turee.



TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 33

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 33 part 1 THE BONDING
[Seven years later]

Christina chatted to Graham, the chef, about the customers they were getting of late.

"Here's another one for you, use your psychic skills and tell me about her," said Graham.

Christina watched the young woman confidently stride to an unoccupied table.

"She not very wealthy, but her clothes make her look as though she is, she has got a very distinctive aura, it's like she belongs here, yet she needs to be somewhere else."
"You can read her aura ?" exclaimed Graham.
"I can usually see a ripple around a person, I usually see several shades of the same colour, yet her aura is one shade of blue," said Christina.

"So maybe it's not her aura that your seeing," suggested Graham.
"If it's not her aura, it's her," said Garet.
"Oh hi, alright boss, it's been a good day today, big tippers, they were buying the expensive stuff and no complaints," said Christina.

"Christina, ask her to go into the garden with you, tell her Scherry will be there, best stay with her 'till the others get here. Graham, there are going to be some visitors here soon. I didn't expect them but they are coming, then give Fred a call, tell her the Merry Maidens have started to return," said Garet.

No sooner than Graham had put the reciever down than Fred pushed open the door.

"Where are they !, who is here ?"
"Christina just took some woman out the back to meet Scherry."

Fred went into the back garden, looked and saw Garet, Christina and Anne.

"Where is every-one else ?" she asked as she hugged Anne.
"They are all returning," said Garet.

The young woman took of her sunglasses and looked straight at Christina, Christina stared back.

"OH, MY, GOD !!, it's you !, but you haven't changed. It's been seven years since I saw you you haven't even aged a day."
"You've met her before Anne ?" asked Garet.
"Happy person isn't she Garet," then turning to face him, "almost a Merry Maiden."
"Will she be one soon ?" asked Garet.

"What do you mean, I'll be one, one what ?" asked Christina.
"Remember seeing me in the churchyard Christina ?, ever wanted to be like the others I was with ?"
"More times than I'd care to think of right now."
"Well, you will be one of us soon," said Anne, "Curremy !"

Anne almost threw her chair aside rushing to greet her friend Curremy.

"Are you alright ?, how is everything, do you and Westy still glow together ?"
"We still glow, thanks," she hugged Anne, then looking around, "I see Garet is still as tight as ever with the drinks, the chairs as well now."
"It's not my fault, most of the waitresses I get are bad at the job, but what happens when I do get a good one ?, you lot nick her," said Garet, smiling.

"Is this the right place for the re-union ?" asked Scherry.
"So come on Scherry, tell me, what's changed ?" asked Anne.
"May has moved on, replaced by Fred, Pitts spends most of the time at the end of the tunnel with Blue, Spike has been trying to take his place around here. The vampire slayers, we made them to be like you hunters, they stay in the Welsh stone circles now."

At the shop for the Tuckenhay farm, Susan was watching the shire horses, they were behaving oddly, trotting around then looking in all directions, almost as though they were waiting for some-one, occasionally they stopped to preen themselves. Susan called out to Tommy to get their brushes.

"Give them a good brushing, the mane, the tail, wipe their hooves, the lot."
"Shall I close up shop and concentrate on them ?" he asked.
"Nah, leave the shop open, we might get a customer," replied Susan.

The lovely shire horses seemed to appreciate the extra attention. Susan went into the shop to make sure everything was in place. She went back out side and called to Tommy to see if he wanted a cuppa. She smiled as he nodded his head up and down then moved a leg on the ground, just like the horses. Susan went to make a cuppa for them.

"That'll be five cups mum," said Sandy.

Susan took a very deep breath, her eyes filled with tears of joy, slowly she turned trying to savour the moment, then she hugged her daughter.

"There, I told you she was her favourite," said Dani.
"Oh my you poor darling, you haven't had to put up with some-one trying desperately hard to be funny have you ?" asked Susan.
"I tried telling her, it's not the stone, it's what's in it that counts !. But she got into the stone anyway," said Leia, "poor stone."

Tommy was drying the lips on the horses when he noticed Dani and Leia, he realised who the horses were waiting for, he pointed the opposite way.

"LOOK !"

As the horses looked that way he ran to Dani and Leia, as he got closer to them he heard the horses, he also felt the horses behind him, he felt one of them put it's head against his back, then he was bouncing along the ground, funny though, he could have sworn he heard the horses laugh.

At the farm near Tintagel Richard was sat on a bench, seat near Willow. He carefully placed his mug of bovril on the bench seats arm, and the book he was reading he put beside him. He looked at the multi-coloured Opal fish, then picking up his book again he continued reading it.

"You know, I do miss seeing Saffron, Kennedy and Davina," said Willow, "how about you Richard ?"
"I do, but what with Saffron feeding the fish, and Kennedy and Davina walking on the flowers, well," said Richard.

He saw the fish food thrown over his shoulder to the fish

"There I told you the fish would remember me," said Saffron.

Richard span around, saw the girls then got up to greet them as he realised that Willow had seen them.

"We're on our way to Hillhouse, but I had to come here first," said Davina.
"I thought I recognised the sound of those feet stomping through the garden," the girls turned to see Sue and Westy, Sue smiled to Willow.

Graham and Christina had been given the abridged version of who was who, and what they're capabilities were. Even so they were amazed at the number of them. Christina had always thought she knew a lot about the supernatural, but it was nothing to what she had just been told. But the possibility of doing the shopping in LA and still being back before breakfast took a lot of beating.

Scherry began to ask some of the girls to go into a separate room. Graham moved closer to Christina.

"I'm not sure how to look at the girls, some of them are very easy on the eyes, but then they are all well, super human, fighters of evil."
"Telling one of them that she is beautiful, it wouldn't go unnoticed," replied Christina.
"Christina, can you come with us ?" asked Scherry, "there will be some others here that will want to meet you. Do your parents have a similar belief to you ?"

"My dad is open to the concept of something other than one god watching over us, but my mom is unsure, why do you ask ?" asked Christina.
"It's for when I meet them later," said Scherry.
"Will I be there, when will the meeting be ?"
"Later today, now excuse me, I need to be ready for the higher beings."

"Girls !, if you would all be ready, Christina, come and stand here, stay facing the girls and stay standing."

Christina was aware of the bright lights behind her, all the girls in the room knelt. As the light faded she saw the Goddess Medusera in front of her.

"Every-one stand," said Goddess Medusera, then quietly to Christina, "kneel"

Christina felt four hands on her head, then as the spirit of the demon entered her body she felt every fibre of her being filled with energy.

"You are now a demon hunter, arise. Stand with the others."

Christina went and stood next to Anne.

"What do I do next ?"
"It's alright Christina, I'll tell you," said Anne.

Garet and Graham were watching through ther doorway.

"What were they doing ?" asked Graham.
"I haven't seen that before, but I'd say that Christina is probably now a demon hunter," said Garet, "about what I was saying before, Scherry is also the Goddess Medusera, it was she who chose Christina, those other two, it was they that put the spirit of the demon into her, the spirit of a werewolf."

"So is there anything else special about her ?" asked Graham.
"Not yet, she's just a mere mortal, seriously advanced magical powers, the ability to be immortal, severely strong, just the usual," said Garet.
"What are you two up to ?" asked Mark.
"Hi, er, just trying to bring Graham up to speed on the girls, origins, you know, just the basics."

"So these girls, what is their main reason for being ?" asked Graham.
"To stop the evil and protect us humans and the land," said Mark.
"Where did they come from, have they ever been seen ?" asked Graham.
"Fred and Willow did a bit of research on that, they said that the first of them was the daughter of Sineya, although Sineya is a bastardization of Saylena, or should I say the Goddess Saylena.

As for the name of the first slayer, that was never stated yet the Goddess T 'ara and the General of the Elite, Buffy, they actually met her, Willow met her in a dream," said Mark, "but have they ever seen, more than likely, there are tales in various places about girls that fight demons."
"Have any of them been recognised Garet ?" asked Mark.

"Scherry did mention that, oh hang on I'll call Scherry over, you can ask her yourself," said Garet.
"Alright, what is it now ?" asked Scherry.
"Mark wants to know if any of the girls have been recognised," said Garet.
"You want to know about Felicity do you ?, sad case that."

"Well I'd have thought that as there are more people now, there would be more willing to help her," said Mark.
"I'll ask her, best let her decide though," said Goddess Medusera.
"Excuse me, you've said about being recognised, I've been told where or who they come from, but has there been any battles ?" asked Graham.

"Several battles in several dimensions, one has been about three hundred and sixty years ago, that was a massive battle, near to where the humans fought a battle a few days before which was quite lucky really as many thought that it was a spectral re-enactment of their fight," said Goddess Medusera.

*13 "Hang on, you are referring to the battle of Edge Hill, near Kineton aren't you ?" asked Graham.
"That's what you know it as. Now if you'll wait out the back, I'll go and see Felicity."

When Goddess Medusera appeared she wasn't alone, she was with Felicity.

"Felicity, these are the ones that wanted to help you, and there are many others here, I should warn you that some of those are vampires, humans, ghosts."
"There are vampires here ?" asked Felicity.

"The vampires here are the best of them, a lot has changed, one of the vampires is a see-er, one has been with a Goddess for seven years, two girls that were vampires are now demon hunters, one vampire is now known as the Goddess Darla, a vampire that helped teach a ghost to read and write is now eternal he is The Keeper of The Light and the other that is him is a human."

"Will I get to meet those two ?" asked Felicity, "I have stayed away to long, I know that I told my huband what I was to do, I know that the person that saw me told the story as he saw it, and it was wrong, so I will try to be of use to you."

"That is good, now I'll need to do some arranging," said Goddess Medusera.

She changed to be Scherry, after a bit of running around followed by a bit of waiting Spike and Anne joined her and Christina, then they drove to Christina's parents place in Collaton St. Mary.

"You go in and tell your folks that we're here to talk with them, that's a thought, I was told that vampires can only go into a house if they're invited in, do you know if that's true Spike ?" asked Scherry.
"It is true, sometimes. It really depends on the people, if the owners are religious or not.

If they are religious, their house becomes their church, so then a vampire would need to be invited in," said Spike.
"Come on Scherry, Christina is inviting us in," said Spike.
"My mum, Tracie, and my dad Edward, these are Scherry, Anne and Spike."
"Christina said that you are open to the possibilty of supernatural phenomena," said Scherry.

"As Christina is aware, I'm open to that idea more than Tracie but seeing is believing," said Edward.
"What I'm going to tell you will open up the doors for you," said Scherry.
"Tracie, do you remember me ?" asked Anne.

"Sort of, you look like some-one I met years ago, oh my, it is you, but you haven't aged since then, how ?, and those others what were they ? and the ones in the church, who were they ?" asked Tracie.
"There wasn't any-one else in the church," said Anne.

Anne looked at Scherry.

"Yes there was, er, they spoke to each other, the two girls were Faith and Buffy, the man was, I think they called him Angel," said Tracie.
"Oh ok, well as for me I'm a demon hunter, I'm mortal, well sort of, as when we die we become immortal. Those we fought who were around the church were the un-dead, vampires that is they were evil vampires. I say that 'cos Spike was a vampire," said Anne.

"Christina, are these your friends ?" asked Edward.
"Yes they are. I've known Anne for years and Scherry for a few short years, I only met Spike a short time ago, he's a bit different but a lot of others say he's a good person."
"So what else do you want to tell us ?" asked Tracie.

"There's a lot that needs to be explained, I'd like you to accept what i'm telling you and not tell any-one else."
"Just tell them Scherry, if they did tell any-one else who'd believe them ?, tell them everything, then they can panic," said Christina.
"Alright, your daughter is now a demon hunter, like Anne."

"That's a relief, when Chrissie said thar she had some friends who wanted to talk with us, well we thought the worst, we thought she wanted to kive with you and that Spike was her boyfriend. I'm sure he is a nice person, but really I'm sure Chrissie could do better, he is a bit ugly," said Edward.

"I'm not an ugly person," said Spike.
"That is what my dad loosley refers to as humour," explained Christina.
"Demon hunters, would we get to see our daughter very often."
"They are protectors of the peace," said Scherry.
"Si is she here to save us from demons ?" asked Edward.

"Normally yes, but not just yet, there's a bonding first," said Scherry.
"A bonding ? a bonding of what ?" asked Spike.
"What happens at a bonding Anne, it was bad enough before not knowing what to do," said Christina.
"Don't worry Christina, you won't be alone. The last bonding was two thousand two hundred and thirty four years ago," said Scherry.

"Edward and I did have several concerns about Chrissie, what she would do with her life, but right now we are relieved, if there's any thing else to tell us do it later, as right now we need to be going," said Tracie.
"About the others in the church Tracie, Faith and Angel are the Generals of Byzantium, Buffy is the General if the Elite," said Anne.

"Scherry, do you know where my parents are going ?" asked Christina.
"Yes I know, they are going to witness the bonding, I'm not sure why they are going, it could be because of Christina, more than likely it's because they are descendants of a druid."

"I'll need to get back to Hillhouse myself, I've got to prepare for the bonding. To make sure the site is safe for us," said Scherry.

*13
The spectral battle in the sky. In 1642 a battle was fought between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers, it was at Edge Hill near Kineton in Warwickshire. On some nights when the atmospheric conditions are right the sounds of the battle can be heard in the sky, occasionally the battle can be seen as well.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 33

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DENON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 33 THE BONDING part 2

"Good evening, this is Tina Standish for the BBC, I'm near the ancient monument of Stonehenge, a place that has had many reasons said about it's reason for being, many of those reasons include some form of Druidic usage.

Which brings me to tonight's story, it's about the resurrection of the pagan beliefs and those who choose to follow them. I've been told some choose to follow the religion of Wicca. Some say it is old, some say it was founded in the early nineteen fifties. Some of them do witchcraft, so the question is, are they real witches or are they self proclaimed witches."

"Tina !, behind you !, look !" shouted the camera-man, " they just appeared."

Tina turned and looked at the women.

"You !, you will leave here, now !" ordered the Goddess Medusera.

Buffy, Faith and Hope went to the camera crew.

"Stay on the other side of the road," said Faith.
"It is for your safety that you come no closer," said Buffy.
"No-one can enter here, we return as the sun rises tomorrow," said Hope.
"Please oh please tell me you kept the camera going ?" asked Tina.
"Yes Tina, it's all here, we got it on tape."

Tina rang the office.

"Jeff, it's Tina, we've just got something on film, four women just appeared at Stonehenge. One of them glowed, the others were wearing some sort of old military uniform, they said they're coming back at sunrise so get some more crews here. Then they disapeared in front of us,"

"It's too late for the evening news, but get it here we might get it on the late news," replied Jeff.

At just past midnight the Amesbury police began to notice an increase in the number of vehicles in the town, the Salisbury police reported many cars heading north, the Winterbourne police said of cars being left and the occupants walking west, towards stonehenge. PC Stephen Bertrand
was sent to the stone circle.
He had been there ten minutes before he reported in.

"There's a glowing just started inside the circle, there's a hundred or so people here."
"There's a lot of people heading your way," said the desk sergeant at Amesbury.

At half past two all the telephone lines in Salisbury police station were busy. A steady stream of traffic was heading north out of town. A group of 'official' astronomers from Salisbury threw a spanner in the works when they declared that the full moon wasn't meant to happen for four nights. They said that the waxing moon hadn't happened yet !.

A couple of journalists from one of the independant TV stations were on the road north of Salisbury, they asked one of the people where she was going.

"I don't know where I am going, I know I need to be there though."
"What will you do when you get to where you are going ?" asked the reporter.
"I don't know."
"Who told you to go there ?"
"No-one really, I just knew I had to be there," said the walker.

The steady stream of traffic was now measured in the thousands, all roads in the area were full, people had parked on the road verges and were walking.
At four thirty in the morning the policeman at stonehenge called the Winterbourne police station.

"Sarge, it's getting a bit eerie out here, there's thousands of people here, they're keeping of the roads, owh crap ! oh, my god ! the fence around stone henge, it just vanished !, people running from the stones, they just appeared from nowhere !, there's thirty or so. There's more of them, lots more."
"How many are there ? are they armed ? who are they ?" asked Winterboune station.

"There's four, maybe five hundred now, they're all armed with two swords and a cross bow," said PC Bertrand.
"Tell them to put down the weapons," said the sergeant from Salisbury.

Constable Bertrand cautiously approached a few of them.

"Look I don't know what's happening, or who you are, but those weapons shouldn't be near these people."
"Wearing these weapons is a necessity," said Hope.
"I'll ask Darla, it'll be up to her," said Faith.
"We are the advance guards, we are here to protect you and those that will follow," said Buffy.

"What are your names ?" asked PC Bertrand.
"I'm Hope, these are Faith and Buffy."
"Sarge I just spoke, oh the glowings stopped. These girls they said they are the advance guards. One of them said they would ask Darla if it was okay to put their weapons down, they're names are Buffy, Faith and Hope. The sooner you get some more help for me the better."

"We're trying to but the roads are blocked, there's a helicopter heading your way from Andover with more officers on board."
"The..., they all just knelt. Sarge !, the glowings started again, oh buckets full. It's bigger this time, a lot bigger. It's a dome shape, it's covering all the stones, there's more of them, they're pouring out of the circle now

Oh no, that's not possible !, jeeeezus !!, get me some help here fast, that can't happen, noooooo................................................."
"PC Bertrand,....PC Bertrand,.......Police helicopter how near are you ?, can you see anything ?"

"The co pilot Sgt. Susan Phipps, she's got some binoculars, she's, WHAT !, I'm relaying what she's saying, there's a big glowing there and some-one is floating there, the police car, it's moving sideways !. We'll be there soon I'll give you an update then."

"Sarge, it's PC Bertrand again, some woman, she said that there will be a lot more of them soon. She said our guns would not stop them or they're enemies. The ones here, she called the ones here demon hunters and vampire slayers, part of the armies of Byzantium. She moved the car to make more room for them."

"Did she say her name ?" asked the Sergeant.
"She did but you'd better prepare youself for a shock, she said that she is the Goddess Darla, thing is as she floated towards me, she moved the car, well, I believe her."

"This is Tina Standish, it's five past six in the morning, the sun is just starting to come to the horizon. I'm on a hilltop near Stonehenge, there's thousands of people here, everywhere I look there's people. The stones are covered with a large glowing, there's, what.

What do you mean look up ?, bloody hell !, it's a unicorn ! a flying unicorn !, there's another, and another, there appearing everywhere. There's something happening down there, the one's that came from the circle, they are kneeling, the glowing is blue now, there's hundreds of people coming from Stonehenge, they are all starting to kneel.

Where's that sound coming from, it's like marching. Is that church bells I hear ?, the ones that came from the circle, they're all putting their weapons on the ground, now they are kneeling, the crowds here they all just knelt. There's people on the unicorns now. Get a close up of the circle. Aren't they druids ?, it is church bells I can hear ?. I can see more appearing in the circle.

They are picking up their weapons, they are dancing with each other, whoa !, they all just vanished !. The people here are turning away, they're leaving. What just happened ?"

Scherry took Willow, Vi, Hope and Dani to a quiet area near the village of Little Compton, where an apparition had been heard.

"The ghost isn't the problem, it is invisible, it is four horses pulling a carriage, the two drivers are headless, I just want to be sure that the ones inside the carriage aren't to scared," said Scherry.
"Wouldn't Blue be helpful here ?" asked Dani.

"When we find it, until then there are a few more pressing problems, I've been told of a witches coven that have been using the Rollright Stone-circle near here."
"Do you mean with the celebration of the dead coming soon ?" asked Hope.
"No, it'll be on the night of the new year, they'll be here this year, something happens when the stones are said to go down to the river for a drink," said Scherry.

"When the stones drink ?, that isn't true, is it ?" asked Dani.
"No, it's the hunters that rest in the stones that go for a drink, the problem would be when the witches see it," said Scherry.
"It may scare them," said Hope.
"Two of the witches are vampires, Amanda and Darla helped them about two hundred years ago," said Scherry.

"It would be nice if they were to see my mum then," said Dani.
"That's why I'm here," said Vi.
"Those in the stones, do they know that two vampires will be here ?" asked Faith, "do they know what happened to Darla ? it would be good to get the others here."

Later that night Scherry emerged near the stone circle with Hope, Dani, Faith, Vi, Leia, Darla and Graeves.

"Well I hope we can get this sorted, it's flamin cold here," said Graeves.
"Odd saying that, I would have thought that flaming wouldn't be seen as cold, 'cos flames are hot," said Hope.
"If the flames are used for divination they are not assocciated with heat, so if it's cold, you'd get flamin' cold," said Scherry.

Four people entered the stone circle, they looked around then cleared the rubbish that had blown in. Dani entered the circle and the four witches stopped and looked at her.

"It is you two that I want to speak to," said Dani.
"Why do you want to speak to them and not us ?"
"They are vampires you are not," said Dani.
"They are what ? what makes you think that ? who are you ?" asked a witch.
"You know what we are, oh..your a demon hunter, are you here to kill us ?"

"The one who helped me, she helped you, do you remember her name ?"
"You mean Darla, we will never forget her !. How could she have sired you ?"
"Wait, your talking about vampires ! and demons !" said a witch.
"For one thing, vampires are demons, secondly these two have removed their demon, I have more in me than they do," said Dani.

As Darla stepped forward she became the Goddess Darla.

"As you can see I am no longer a vampire. Daniel, Gerard, it is good to see you again."
"Now I know ! what your wearing," said a witch, "that is what they wore at Stonehenge, where did you get it from ?"
"I was there, as were these," said Dani.

Hope, Faith, Vi moved from the darkness with Scherry and Graeves.

"Karen, Jennifer you need to be aware of the circle's, they are transport rings for all with demon in them. This circle has six demon hunters at rest in the stones," said Scherry.
"You really expect us to believe that ?"
"No, I don't, but it would help if they met you."

The girls knelt as Scherry became Goddess Medusera. She called for those in the stones to come. Six demon hunters rose out of the stones. Karen and Jennifer stood and stared at them.

"Jennifer, Karen, these girls will appear on new years night and go for a drink in the stream," said Goddess Medusera.
"Would it be okay for us to bring drinks for them Scherry," asked Karen.
"Make mine a double !," said Judith, "water that is."
"Just as well you didn't ask for it on the rocks," said Faith.

"That is good, we will leave you to introduce each other, we need to find a ghost carriage near here," Hope.
"Do you mean Lord and Lady Swinton's, it is heard near here," said Jennifer.
"Bring them here, we'll get some food and drinks for every-one," said Karen.
"Tell your friends, we'll get the ghosts here and we can all meet each other," said Scherry.

Karen, Jennifer, Daniel and Gerard agreed not to tell the others until a couple of days before the new years celebration. That was unfortunate as a week before the festivities, as twelve figures were about to do their worshipping the centre of the circle began to glow as Goddess Medusera appeared.

"Hello, how are you ? there's a few others about to be here," said Scherry, "and judging from some of the expressions, they weren't told were they ?"
"We didn't think you'd be here just yet," said Karen.
"I'm sorry but the introductions will have to wait, Lord and Lady Swinton will soon be here."

"Friends this is Goddess Medusera, she will be bringing a few friends with her, they have come here to help the ghosts that you can hear," said Karen.

As she spoke the transparent figure of Blue came from the circle, she curtsied to Goddess Medusera then walked to a clearing. She held out her hand and a horse appeared, smelling her hand, three other horses soon appeared, Blue went back from the horses, held up her hand then a man came into being, then another, as the second man emerged the whole carriage became visible.

The carriage doors opened.

"Where are we ?" asked Lord Swinton.
"You are at the Rollright stone-circle. You were attacked by robbers, you missed the Inn at Stow-In-The-Wold, as you missed the resting place your horses weren't able to take you all the way to London," said Blue.
"You saw the robbers ?" asked Lady Swinton.

"There lies a problem, you are all ghosts. You have been trying to finish your journey for one hundred and seven years. Tonight thanks to these here you will be able to finish that journey," said Blue.
"I was always afraid of ghosts, should I still be afraid ?" asked Lady Swinton.
"There is no reason, you are with friends here," replied Blue.

"How did you all get here ?" asked Lord Swinton.
"We came here in our cars..oh sorry, what you may know as horseless carriages," said Jennifer.
"Now there's a name I do remember, I lent some money to a friend of mine, to lend to a friend of his who was trying to start building those things, I think the name was the Daimler Motor Company."

One of the witches brought her car for them to see.

"It isn't a Daimler, but you can see what your investment may have helped create," said Joy.
"What will happen to us when we get to where we are going ?" asked a footman.
"You'll get your rest," said Blue.

"It was because of me that the journey was taken," said Harold, "I had just got the job being a driver, we were going to London to fetch my wife and bring her back with us. Could she still be waiting ?"
"If you want to, come with me, together we will see if your wife is still waiting," said Blue.

Just after they had left.

"Oh no, I remember now, Harold, oh dear. A girl waited on a street corner for her husband, Blue has taken Harold to try and find her."

Goddess Medusera faced one of the stones, a figure rose from the stone.

"I am sorry, it is my fault Judith, I have just learnt that the man you were waiting for, your husband. He had just got a job and he was returning to get you, but he died on the way, he has been trying to get to you for the last hundred and seven years," said Goddess Mdeusera.
"He will be back soon," said Vi.

"This has been a wonderful day for us," said Lady Swinton, "we've been helped by a Goddess, a ghost helps a friend of ours, a stranger to her. I learn of those who try to help all human kind, then for our friend who died over a hundred years ago, he can say goodbye to his wife. Then we can go to our rest in our coffins at last. It was worth the wait."

Lady Swinton knelt to Judith, kissed her hand then went into the carriage.
Blue and Harold re-appeared.

"There was no sign of her," said Blue.
"Judith ?, Judith !," cried Harold.
"Ay, what ?" asked Blue.
"Goddess Medusera knew who you went for," said Faith, "but she only realised after you had gone."

"Come and hold my hand, tell me you still love me," said Judith.

Harold held Judith close. He told her that he loved her and that he always would, he kissed her farewell. Said thank you to every-one, stepped on to the carriage and vanished, the other driver waved to every-one then followed Harold. Lord Swinton stopped as he was about to get in the carriage.

"To all of you here, my thanks, this has been a good day for many here,"

As he closed the door to the carriage it vanished. Judith smiled then went to continue her rest. She turned to face the others, but the witches were now alone.

"See you soon Karen," said Judith.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 34

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 34 FELICITY'S SHEEP

*14 Down in Sittaford Tor, nobody was aware of a sheep that was being hunted by a fox. The sheep, realising the end of it's life could be near ran along the fence line looking for a way out, then it realised it had cornered itself. It ran along another bit of fence but the fox drew closer knowing that the outcome was in it's favour. The sheep called out for help, the fox kept looking at it's prey...., then it stared at the sheep.

The fox looked at the sheep from different angles, knew what it had done. Then slinked away turning to look at the sheep, the fox dipped it's head, a recognition an apology for what it had done it then trotted away.
The sheep wandered off to the stone circles, she wanted to be next to that stone.

The people in the village had often wondered what caused the sheep to favour that stone, they assumed that supernatural forces were at work. The earliest recorded incidence of that happening was a specific sheep whose owner had gone off with some-one who was thought to be in league with the devil. The villagers had wanted to put the sheep to death and pour its blood on the stone.

But a sheep wasn't seen as an evil creature, then it was thought that it may bring the person back to this life. As the years went by it was noticed that one sheep always had the same markings so it may have been a reincarnation.
Thirty five years ago the farmer there, was in a dire financial situation, he took all his sheep to market to sell them.

When he got to the market he noticed that two of his sheep were missing, but the ones he sold were enough for him to pay his debts. On returning to the farm he found two dead sheep, yet one had given birth, out of season and the lamb was at the stone !. Year after year he noticed that stone was kept company by the same sheep.

Nearly four years prior the farmers son, Nathaniel, inherited the farm. He was married to Stephanie, their daughter, Elizabeth but known as Lizzie was twelve years old now. Nathaniel had been having problems with a pack of feral dogs on their property. He and Stephanie were out making sure the sheep were safe, with loaded shotguns. They went to the stone-circles to see if the stone had it's usual companion,

they witnessed the five feral dogs surround the sheep. Nathaniel tried to get close enough to shoot one of the dogs, then he saw one of the five dogs go to the sheep, licked it, then lay down beside it. The other dogs lay down, facing away from the sheep.
Nathaniel now has the dogs as companions, but where-ever he goes, only four of the dogs go with him, one is always with the sheep.

One bright and sunny day as he was guiding the sheep into another paddock he noticed that all five dogs were with him, thinking something may have happened to the sheep, he ran to the house to get his wife. He opened the back door, told Stephanie what he thought had happened, as he turned to go to the circles Stephanie stopped him.

She told him that Lizzie had gone to put the feed out for the sheep, but she came back earlier than expected saying that a fox and its cubs were with the sheep and that she wanted food for them as well.

"I went back with her and waited nearby. I saw the fox and the cubs, then it happened, two women appeared in the circle. One of those women glowed !, the other went to the sheep and cuddled it, she even stroked the fox and played with it's cubs. That second woman talked to Lizzie then they both vanished."

"Now, I checked the history of this area, it stated that some woman was taken from here by an accomplice of the devil. That womans name was Felicity, and the one that spoke to our Lizzie was Felicity !, she thanked her for watching her little petal. Seems the woman that was taken from here had a little pet sheep, she called it Petal."

"There is something else, the clothing that Felicity wore, it was the same as those at Stonehenge and Felicity said she was there, she's a demon hunter."

Nathaniel brought up the subject at a town meeting, his neighbour Alan Jenkins was their representative, he said that while it wasn't the normal request of information, they would look into the history a bit closer, Nathaniel then added.

*15 "The woman who is said to have gone to the devil was Felicity, that was the name of a woman in the circle," he added, "if it was just my daughter I'd be doing this myself, but my wife was there as well."
"Give us till the next meeting to find some answers for you, I must admit, it is interesting," said Mr Alan Jenkins.

It was four days since the meeting when Nathaniel rang Alan.

"Alan get here fast, something very strange is happening at the circles right now."
"Okay, give me a couple of minutes, is it really worthwhile me coming there ?"
"I guarantee it," replied Nathaniel.

Sure enough there was a knock at the front door two minutes later.

"Great, your here, come on."

They ran to the circles, as they got closer Nathaniel indicated to Alan to keep quiet, they crept behind a tree.

"So tell me Alan, what do you see ?" asked Nathaniel.
"I can see the sheep, a fox and it's cubs, and a horse."
"Look at the side of the horse a bit closer," said Nathaniel.
"Oh christ !, it's got wings."
"That's right, now look at it's head."

"Look at it's head ?, shhheezus, it's a horn," said Alan, "no, the stories are about a married woman being taken on a black winged horse with big red eyes, but a winged white Unicorn and hell ?, I don't think so."

A soft white glow appeared in the circle, and the unicorn disappeared.

"If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it," said Alan.
"That's what I thought."
"Let's keep this to ourselves at the moment, keep a diary of ant other goings on, ready for the next town meeting."

Scherry had called General Kra-noy to a meeting of her Hope, Faith, Felicity and Christina.

"I have a problem with Felicity, General Kra-noy," said Scherry.
"If it's anything to do with how animals react to Felicity I know."
"I had to go to a circle to get a unicorn, the one where Felicity's sheep is. I was seen by two people, but they reacted ok. I was there recently with Felicity, the persons daughter was with Felicity's sheep, she was leaving it food and water."

"Okay, I see what you mean Scherry, Christina ?, do you get along with animals okay ?"
"I suppose so, why."
"If Scherry was to arrange for you to help look after animals, would that be okay ?" asked General Kra-noy.
"If it'll help, I'll do it."

"Scherry ?"
"Yes General, I think I know how to get the best of this situation."

During the next day the Goddess Medusera planted a thought in Stephanie's mind. Stephanie went to the stone circles. She looked around when she got there, she had been there for just over two minutes when from the circle came Hope, Faith, Vi, Christina, Anne, Dani, Leia and Sandy. Stephanie stood, almost fixed to the spot, staring at the girls. A light began in the centre of one of the circles, it grew to a large dome then faded. Faith went up to Stephanie.

"They are the Goddesses Medusera and Darla, I am a General of Byzantium, Vi and Sandy are vampire slayers, the other girls are demon hunters."

Stephanie dropped to her knees in front of the Goddesses.

"I do not know what I have done, but please forgive me."
"Does she need our forgiveness, 'cos I'm drawing a blank here."
"I agree Darla, stand up Stephanie."
"We are to make it safe here," said Goddess Darla, "your daughter Lizzie will be here soon, she'll bring some food and water for the animals."

"Have you seen anything or any-one who isn't normal around her ?"
"What she means is Stephanie, have you seen any demons, vampires and the like near here," said Faith.
"Oh, right, no I haven't."
"What about those weirdo's up the road ?" asked Lizzie.
"Who are these people ?" asked Lizzie

"Friends dear," said Stephanie.
"Davy was full of it yesterday, he said he saw one of them on fire, but it turned out to be a blanket that he was covering himself with," said Lizzie.
"That sounds like them," said Hope, "where was that Lizzie."
"I know that place, there's six or seven there, I thought they were aging hippies, sorry," said Stephanie.

"Darla, can you ask Curremy to come here, and a few more girls, maybe five of them. Lizzie, if it's alright with your mum, and you can get time of school would you like to come to our farm tomorrow ?" asked Goddess Medusera.
"I think it'll be alright if Lizzie goes to your farm, missing school won't be a problem tomorrow, being as how it's Saturday tomorrow."

"Why does it feel as though some-one behind me is trying not to laugh ?" asked the Goddess Medusera.

At which point Hope began to laugh.

"Now how did I know it would be her."

Lizzie went to stroke the sheep.

"Now I know !," Goddess Medusera watched Lizzie, "I have seen Lizzie in the future, she will help look after the animals while they are here, a year after that she will be a demon hunter."
"Felicity is coming here," said Christina.

The Goddess looked at her.

"How do you know ?"
"I don't know, but look how the sheep is behaving."
"Felicity, your Felicity aren't you ?" asked Stephanie
"I am."
"Good, I've a few questions, why does that sheep stay by that stone ?"

"That's the stone I stay in when I haven't been called."
"Have you been called recently ?" asked Stephanie.
"I went to the bonding," said Felicity.
"Bonding ?, what's a bonding ?"
"It's a wedding, Scherry why was it so intense ?"

"Well Felicity, the Goddess Curremy came to this planet at our request, then she bonds with a vampire. I haven't heard of that before, the closest was Illyria and Wesley, anyway I've been around for six thousand years and I've never heard of that."

"Is that as old as you mum," said Lizzie.

Stephanie noticed that the girls were all grinning, Hope was having trouble standing. Stephanie looked at Goddess Medusera.

"Can you imagine Lizzie and Hope together ?"
"Like that'll ever happen, she's a demon hunter."

Suddenly no-one spoke.

"On your fifteenth birthday Lizzie," said Faith, "you'll be as Hope is now."
"Hang on just a minute, as I am now ?, meaning what ?" asked Hope.
"If the future stays the way it is, you'll die soon," said Faith.
"I'm sorry Hope," said Stephanie, "why are you smiling ?"

Vi approached Stephanie.

"With all these girls, when they die, they become immortal, and Hope wants to be an immortal," said Vi.

The Goddess Curremy appeared in the circle with five more girls.

"I was unsure Curremy, can you make a human invisible with yourself ?"
"Yes."
"There are vampires near here, Stephanie said she can show us where but it would be a lot safer if she couldn't be seen," said Goddess Medusera.
"Then it will be done." Curremy and Stephanie disappeared.

Fifteen minutes later they re-appeared.

"We need to go now they have a human trapped with them," said the Goddess Curremy.

Stephanie and Lizzie were all alone.
Later in the evening Nathaniel sat down for his meal.

"We had a few visitors today, one of them asked if it would be alright if Lizzie visited their farm, I said ok. They also want to send their animals here with two to help look after them," said Stephanie.
"Where would Lizzie be going and for how long ?"
"I'm not sure Nathan, I didn't ask."

"I think we need to know, who was here ?"
"The Goddesses Medusera, Darla, Curremy and fourteen others."

Nathaniel almost choked on what he was eating.

"What !, who ?. Not a problem," he said, tears in his eyes.
"Oh, those strange people down the road, they were vampires. They managed to kill them all, but they had one of Lizzies school friends, I was told that one who counsels their newly dead girls will be coming to help," said Stephanie.

"Lizzie, what are you all dressed up for ?" asked Nathaniel
"I'm going to see my friend Carolyn, the girl the vampires had, didn't anyone tell you ?"
"I don't like the idea of you going out by yourself Lizzie."
"Oh, I won't be by myself, Vi and Hope are coming, they're here now."
"Oh no, not Hope and how on earth do you know they are here now ?" asked Stephanie.

"Who is Hope, what's wrong with her ?"
"She has got a sense of humour like our Lizzie," stated Stephanie.
"They are at the back door, I'll get it," said Lizzie.
"How do you know ?" asked Stephanie, "no-one's knocked."
"I used my new powers of telling the future," said Lizzie.

She went towards the back door, as she was about to open it she turned.

"That and I saw them in the window."
"She's that bad ?" asked Nathaniel.
"Hope would encourage her."

Carolyn's elder brother answered the door, he showed them into the front room where Carolyn was. Carolyn was watching the TV, but she didn't see the program.

"Who are you ?" asked Carolyn.
"My name's Lizzie, this is Vi and the other one is Hope."

Carolyn's mother entered the room, she wasn't impressed that strangers had been allowed to see her daughter, especially now.

"Who are you, oh hello Elizabeth, what going on ?"
"They are Hope and Vi, they are here to help Carolyn, they helped her before, they were with the others who saved Carolyn today."

"Then you have my thanks."
"I told my folks that I was trapped by dogs," said Carolyn.

Carolyn's mother left the room.

"Were they really vampires ?, I know that you and your friends saved me, but why is Lizzie with you ?" asked Carolyn.
"I'm not with them, they are with me !" said Lizzie.
"I'll ignore that Lizzie, you know how it goes Carolyn, some-one has to be nice to her," said Hope.
"That was Hope's way of trying to make you think she's a nice person," said Vi, grinning.

"I know that you are trying to cheer me up, but I don't want to wait until my sixteenth birthday 'till you say something funny."
"This Carolyn Lizzie. Are you sure that she's your friend ?" asked Vi.
"It's like Hope said, some-ones got to be nice to her," replied Lizzie, "but I wouldn't ask her to my folks farm if she wasn't a good friend."

"You did mention the bit about her collecting the dung, and putting it on the manure heap ?" asked Hope.
"I wasn't going to mention that, I was going to leave a message with Felicity."
"Who is Felicity ?" asked Carolyn.
"You've heard all the stories about the sheep at the farm, haven't you."

"Lizzie, she is that Felicity ?"
"Carolyn, the girl that pulled the vampires off you today, do you know who that was ?" asked Hope.
"I'd like to hear that answer as well."

They all turned, to see who it was.

"Dad."
"Answer please," he said.
"The girl that saved your daughters life was Felicity," said Vi.
"Somebody told me she was trapped by dogs !, now I find out it was vampires !, then I'm told that the young girl who saved my daughter is a hundred and seventy years old !?, a bit more explaining here."

"We are like Felicity, look at the bright side, Felicity wasn't being taken to the devil, actually we were there when the devil was ended," said Vi.
"Your all against the devil, hmm, but you saved my daughter, that'll do for now."
"What about Felicity ?" asked Carolyn.

"Felicity is a demon hunter, like Hope."
"Then what are you ?" asked Carolyn's father.
"An immortal, I counsel the dead hunters and slayers, before they become immortal hunter and slayers of evil," said Vi, "I'd appreciate it if you kept that to yourself."

*14
Sittaford Tor is the name of a hill. The word 'Tor' in Devon and Cornwall UK means hill. At the base of Sittaford Tor lies two stone circles, referred to as twins. They are a couple of feet apart, in very good condition. The proper name for them is The Grey Wethers. The village of Sittaford does not exist any nore, the nearest villages being Chagford and Lydford, Devon.

*15
According to local folklore, Old Benjamin saw a married woman ride off with a handsome young man, on a black winged horse. It was thought he was in league with the devil, that was about 150 years ago.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 35

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 35 THE GIRL IN THE MIST

Garet was only mildly interested in watching the news that night, there was a feature on the number of road accidents. He became interested when the Sister's Point was mentioned. Scherry noticed his attitude change and realised why. Wesley idly said that a shop near the main office would be good.

"What do you mean, what sort of shop ?" asked Scherry.
"General stuff, locally made products, the travel info. Anything of help to the customers here, the passing trade," said Wesley.
"What about you Garet ?" asked Scherry.
"I'll have a chat with Dave at Totnes police station."

"It's alright Wesley, he's thinking about something else," said Scherry.
"Oh, the shop, yeah. I'll go along with that, but instead of a shop, just put some selves on the wall opposite the office."

At Totnes police station Garet waited in the entrance, he'd asked at the desk for Dave.

"Hello Garet, what can I do for you ?" asked Dave.
"I might be able to help you, there was a thing on the TV last night about the accidents near the Sisters Point. I'm not to sure why, but alarm bells started to ring when I heard the name, so any info you can give me, um, time of day, weather conditions but mainly the weather."

"Is it just you ?" asked Dave.
"If it's what I'm thinking of it'll be The Myth Investigators," said Garet.
"I hoped you were going to say that, I'm not to sure about us paying you, but the brownie points would be helpful. Is it a supernatural thing ?"
"Think so," said Garet.

"When I've got the details together, I'll send them up to you, something you can help me with right now, we've been having reports of something scaring the animals near the castle, anything you'd be interested in ?" asked Dave.
"It'll be human but I'll have to ask Blue, but well, the type of ghosts there, the good one's would protect the animals and the others wouldn't bother with them," said Garet.

As Garet was leaving he overheard two officers talking, one said with respect of Garet being a Myth Investigator.
When Garet got back to Hillhouse Fred called him over.

"There was a Dave from Totnes police, he said eight accidents had happened recently near Sister's Point, they all had happened during a time when the sea fog was in."
"Scherry !, get all the info you can about The Sister's Point, it'll be a Myth Investigators case, for the local police," called Garet.

"Anything specific ?" asked Scherry.
*16 "Any mentions of a ghost guiding traffic through the fog," replied Garet.

Scherry returned thirty minutes later, unsuccessfully trying to hide a smile she gave Garet the thirty four pamphlets.

"Oh, thank you !" said Garet.

As was usual, it was the last chapter of the last pamphlet that Garet found what he was looking for. During the late nineteen twenties a car had gone of the track, killing the passenger in the car, a Lady Jessica Eleanor Parker. Since that day, 'til recently a ghost had been reported in the road when the fog rolled in from the sea.

Scherry agreed to help Garet, but she said that Blue, Spike and Pitts should be with them.
That night was quite a bit nippy, there was a lack of wind and when the clouds moved a full moon lit the area up a treat. They wandered along the road, Garet said that a van would be handy.

"Nothing to do with the heater in it," said Spike.

Garet was about to reply nicely to Spike.

"If you think I'm going to walk in front of you lot, you've got another think coming," said Jessica.
"Y'know, for some-one whose a Lady, I'd have thought she sound less common," said Spike.
"Well, you are a mixed bunch," said Jessica.

"They are, I'm a nice person," said Spike.
"I'm sorry ?, did you say person ?"
"Near enough, but as vampires go, I'm a nice person !"
"If you won't walk in front of us, why not walk at our side ?" asked Blue.
"Can't argue with that," agreed Jessica.

"Can you tell that vampire that I'm known as a Lady, I'm not really, just by marriage."

The six of them walked along the road, they introduced themselves as they walked. Blue found out that Jessica had been walking the same bit of road for eighty years.

"Have you ever tried to go anywhere else ?" asked Blue.
"Where would I go ?"
"You could come to my place, it'd break the routine, then there's the place where this lot come from, there's loads of people to talk with and there's usually something to do."

"Must admit, talking to others would be nice, the only one who talks to me now is that abusive sod along the road a bit," said Jessica.
"Is he why you've stopped guiding people through the fog ?" asked Garet.
"Yes, but how did you know about that ?" asked Jessica.
"It's made the news," said Garet.

"That abusive sod, how about we cure his temperament," suggested Blue.
"You'd do that for me ?"
"They would, and more," said Blue.
"Can you imagine these two being friends ?" asked Garet.
"The two Lady's, I like that," said Spike.

"Your a lady as well ?"
"Oh no, I'm known as the Blue Lady."
"From Berry Pomeroy Castle !, I've heard of you," exclaimed Jessica.
"That's only 'cos my baby was killed, I hear her screams now and then, but I've never found her."

"There's a thought, if you change the 'Y' for 'dies', you'd get the two laddies."
"That's it Spike !, no kisses for you tonight," said Blue.
"A ghost that dates an ex vampire ?" asked Jessica incredulously.
"Yes and no, I do date an ex vampire but not Spike, Pitts."

"You know, I've been dead for eighty years. This has got to be my best day so far, two ex vampires, a human, or two and a Goddess offer to help me."
"That house there, is that where that sod lives ?" asked Garet.
"No, a young couple life there, nice people, but they don't see me, which is a shame," said Jessica.

"We can change that for you," said Pitts.
"The sod lives further up the road, on the corner."

As they got closer they could see the stacks of firewood.

"Does he cut down trees for the wood ?" asked Scherry
"And he enjoys it."
"What do you think Pitts, Herne and Pan ?"
"I know those names, are they your friends ?" asked Jessica.
"The God Pan is a friend, and he is good mates with Herne the Hunter, so sort of, yes," said Scherry.

"There are many we know, heck, I even met Jesus, when he was on the cross, and I've got the photos to proove it. I wonder if Curremy or Sue could get more bits of the cross if we ran out. Why are you looking at me like that Garet ?" asked Scherry.
"When he was taken of the cross, I was wondering, could we have the cross, it'd be for a good reason ?" asked Garet.

"They wouldn't be able to get it, but I know who to ask," said Scherry.
"We'll be back with some others," said Scherry.
"Would it be alright if we call you Jess from now on ?" asked Pitts.
"You know who that sounds like, don't you Pitts," said Blue
"Sounds like a human thing to me, and Jess will be ok" said Jessica.

Scherry, Pitts and Garet left, leaving Jess, Blue and Spike.

"That young couple up the road, you want a chat with them ?" asked Blue.
"You might look a bit out of place in Elizabethan dresses," said Spike.
"What's wrong ? these dresses are very nice," said Blue, "as long as we say we're going to a fancy dress do."
"Trouble is this road doesn't go anywhere, there isn't many more excuses we could make, with out losing all our good luck," said Jessica

"We could always get a Leprechaun to help us," said Blue.
"That's really pushing the bounds of good luck," said Jessica.
"You do believe in fairies don't you ?" asked Spike.
"Of course."
"Well then Jessica, only English fairies. Not Irish ones ?" asked Spike.

"Never thought of it like that before," replied Jessica.
"That young couple, looks like they've got visitors," said Blue.
"Oh well, never mind. The place that Blue lives at Spike, you want to go there now ?" asked Jessica.

"No !," said Blue, "I'd need to make sure it was okay with every-one else first."
"But when you were helped, that was an uninvited visit," said Spike.
"yes but the others were about ready to step in, when word of Illyria being a friend was mentioned," said Blue.
"So who else is there ?" asked Spike.

"There's ten or more ghosts in the Haunted Wood."
"Don't you know how many Blue ?" asked Spike.

"I'm never brave enough to go into there, and neither should you. I was told that a coven of devil worshippers were put to death in there. When they are in a happy mood they are bad people. When they are in a bad mood they are evil, if a human didn't leave when told to, they wouldn't."

"On the pathway out side the walls there's an evil entity, just hope you meet the three others and they will protect you, there's four soldiers in the fields to the south. A soldier in the archway, two ghosts that hide in the bushes near the main entry. An entity of some sort in the watchtower, I think there's a butler and a scullery maid, Margaret Pomeroy who's known as the white Lady, if she asked you to follow her, offer her some blue flowers."

"Blue, that's why Illyria was accepted by her," said Spike.
"That's correct, and then there's the gardener, it's easy to see when he's in a bad mood. He carries a scythe !"
"There's a lot of ghosts there Blue, how many and does any-one know about them ?" asked Jessica.

"Oh, the castle is said to be one of the most haunted places in Britain, some of the ghosts are on record as being VERY malevolent," said Blue.

Just then Scherry returned with Pan, Herne The Hunter, Garet, Wesley, Dawn and Fred.

"Garet, we were just talking about Blue's home and all the Ghosts there, have you ever had a bad experience ?" asked Spike.
"With Blue's home, I wouldn't go there without her to protect me. There was once that I felt the pressure to leave, that I was unwelcome. That was at a mass burial site near Luton, but the worst was at St., Nectan's Glen near Tintagel. That was frightening."

"More frightening than being confronted by vampires ?" asked Spike.
"Yes, but in a different way, at the Tintagel place it was twelve thirty, I heard about seventy people whispering to each other, in an empty field, then I saw a burning skull in a tree. I turned around and left, I've never been back there since."

"Can we stop all this ghost talk," said Jessica.

They all looked at her.

"Yeah, that sounded okay in my head. Can we get on with dealing with my sod, so to speak ?" asked Jessica.

As they neared the place they saw a figure leaning against the post.
Spike walked up to him.

"Hello Angel, what brings you here ?"
"Just wanted to meet a few people, say hello and have some fun."

Three ferocious dogs ran towards them, growling and barking loudly, saliva hanging from their mouths, Pan started playing the Pans Pipes. By the time the dogs reached him, they were contented just to sit and listen to the wonderful sound.

Herne charged aroung the back yard knocking in to the sheds, when the abusive sod came down to see what the problem was, he saw Angel. As he went to him, gun raised Herne would hit another shed, the sod looked for him, turning back to Angel. But Angel was somewhere else in the yard.

Four night later the sod was exhausted, completely. Vi and Jessica took him into the kitchen and talked with him, then explained what had happened.

When the fog comes in now, the sod wave's to Jessica, he always has a smile for her.


*16
Many coastal towns around Britain have tales of a ghost who guides traffic on coast roads when the sea fog comes in. Jessica is a joining of several of those tales.

The accounts of ghosts at St Nectans Glen, the mass grave near Luton and Berry Pomeroy castle are reports by experienced ghost hunters and my own personal experiences. To my knowledge, they are all true.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 36

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 36 DAWN OF THE DAY

*17 Several strange lights had been seen from Kenilworth Castle during the previous three nights. Men and women from the Kenilworth Ghosthunters Club were to be seen wandering around the castle with little hand held meters and camera's.
Carla, Lydia and Sarah went to see what the Castle looked like at night, being as it was a full moon. What had drawn them to the castle, none of them knew, yet still they walked up Barn Close to see the castle.

Gavin, Sandra and Jill were perplexed, their meters hadn't shown any tell-tale signs of spirits in the area, but the camera's kept taking pictures. Jill kept hearing sounds from above her, she convinced herself that it was a large Eagle. Gavin changed the memory cards of the camera's, he put one of them into the lap-top for a better look.

"Good grief," he exclaimed, "hey Jill, Sandra come and see these."
"Which set of pictures ?, are they the ones you just took out ?" asked Sandra
"Yes, they're the last ones."

Gavin looked up, Jill and Sandra were walking towards him, he looked to the castle, as ther got closer.

"When they kept taking pictures I looked at the castle walls and the ground, I should have looked up higher, each of these pictures show fifteen ghosts."

Sandra and Jill bent down to take a good look.

"I see them, not like some of the photos were you can spend hours trying to find a shape. What's that though ?, in the sky ?, is that a flying horse ?"
"It is, I'll ring around, hopefully I can get some of our other members here."

Davin had just rung one of their members, he was just about to dial another member.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't do that."

The three of them quickly turned to face where the voice came from.
There in front of them was a woman dressed in an old battle dress. Thigh high leather leg coverings, leather knee high boots, a pleated leather skirt and a heavy keather jacket. The seemed to have two swords and she was holding a cross bow that luckily for them was being directed at the ground.

"You'd make Xena jealous, dressed like that," said Jill.
"Jill," said Sandra, "look at her make-up, it's modern."

Gavin noticed the nine others moving towards them.

"There are a few here that you shouldn't see, I'd be grateful if you'd give me your photos, and then can you turn off the equipment ?" asked Hope.
"And if I think this is an opportunity to good to miss ?" asked Gavin.
"Will you please turn off all your equipment ?" asked Scherry.

Sandra and Jill started to turn off all their equipment.

"Why did you two give in so easily ?" asked Gavin.
"To show them that we can, be friends."
"So, Jill, Sandra, would you want to see what's inside the walls ?"
"What about me ?" asked Gavin.
"They showed us that they can be friends, you did not," said Scherry.

Scherry asked Jill and Sandra to go inside the castle walls with them. At the gate they were told that there was to be a meeting that night and that they were about to see something that should never be repeated.

"If we only had a camera," said Jill.

Sandra stared at where her friend once stood.

"She has gone to keep your other friend company, they will be returned
later, but I'm glad it was you, let me introduce some of these girls to you, pay attention to what they are wearing," said Scherry.
"That won't be hard to do, I do like their costumes," said Sandra.

"Oh good, if you decide not to tell of what you'll see tonight, then you'll have a set of those clothes," said Scherry.
"Attempting to bribe me are you, good subject choice," replied Sandra.

They started to enter the confines of the castle walls, Scherry's body began to glow. Sandra stood still, then gasped as Scherry became the Goddess Medusera.

"Anybody would think she's never seen a Goddess before," remarked Davina.
"Sandra, that is how they appear when one of them becomes a Goddess," said Hope.
"You mean there is more than one ?" asked Sandra.
"At the moment there are five," said Faith, "but soon the sixth will be with us."

"The sixth one, sorry, the sixth Goddess !, does she bring something special ?" asked Sandra.
"When she appears the three final battles will begin," said Faith.
"So, you protect the Goddesses right, that is why you are here ?, what about from above. This meeting, what if it is seen from above by low flying planes ?"

"We have armies in the sky, but if human do see us from above we'll do what we've done before. At the last site, planes and ships were as 'lost'. For some reason or other it was called the Bermuda Triangle. The people became part of our armies. I seem to remember two chose not to, one joined a moastery, the other became an immortal missionary," said Faith.
"An immortal, why ?" asked Sandra.

"The life of a missionary can be hard and short, but if they return from the dead, well life for them becomes easier, and any enemies soon become friends."
"What happenend to all the ships and planes Faith ?" asked Sandra.

"The planes had time in the waters, one of the ships was taken by a certain Goddess as she was trying to develop a sense of humour. She put it on the surface of the planet Mercury, which as it turned out was a big help to us as she found the last two that lived on that planet, she invited them to live here. She found a spacecraft once and put it on the moon," said Faith.

"What'll happen when it's found ?" asked Sandra.
"It won't be found, it's owners took it back. But as for now I'll get one of the girls to watch you just make sure you keep away from the middle as at some point there will be some tables and chairs arriving. Anne can you watch Sandra for me ?" asked Faith.

Anne, Hope and Davina showed Sandra around parts of the castle meeting hunters, slayers, those of Byzantium and Bouicandeni. Sandra had been lucky enough to try and make friends with the winged white unicorns of Molly and Diana. They were going to see the Goddess Medusera as tables and chairs began appearing on the grass. Sandra looked at the chairs.

"Who are they for ?" asked Sandra.
"As far as I'm aware, the Goddesses, the Generals of Byzantium and Bouicandeni, the watchers and the see-ers," said Anne.
"Will I get to meet any of them ?"
"You already have, Faith is a General. The man she is talking with, that is her husband, Angel."

"What is the meeting for ?" asked Sandra.
"There in lies a good question, I'm not sure. Must be important though we'll be told later," said Hope.
"One way or another," remarked Anne.
"Faith asked me what I thought of the humans that wear lockets of their partners blood, that could be one of the reasons," said Hope.

"What's the problem with that ?"
"By itself, no problem, but from the point of the vampires that try to be good it is a big problem," said Davina.
"Why ?"
"Think about it Sandra, a vampire that tries to be as one in society, to be unnoticed. Society see's all vampires as evil, so a club forms to appreciate vampires is not helpful to them," said Davina.

"One of us needs to be in that club, to protect the humans from the real evil vampires and to protect the vampires that try to be good. There was one club that started, in Cambridge I think that was real vampires, they tried to use it as a cover. Now those lockets of blood, some of the real vampires keep a slayers blood as a boost if they ever need it," said Hope.

"Is there any way to find what the meeting is about ?" asked Sandra.
"Of course, just go and stand close enough to hear what they are talking about," said Anne.

A white glow appeared, figures appeared then went to the seats, then the glow changed to be blue. Several of the glowing figures stood together then more of them joined each other. Hope noticed Faith point to her left. Anne, Davina, have a look at our new friend.

"I do like your clothes Sandra," said Anne.
"Thanks, but I only bought them at the local clothes shop, there... ho crap !, where did they come from ?"
"Comfy huh, when you've worn the battle dress in the rain, it won't feel comfy then," said Davina.

"Sandra, your first official duty awaits," said Hope.
"Hope, we are about to be visited, Sandra this is the quick way."

The Goddesses Turee and T 'ara allowed the spirit of the demon into Sandra's body. She stood and took her new destiny without so much as a small reaction.

"It's just some teenagers out for a thrill," said Goddess Medusera.
"Then that's what they'll get," said Hope.

The six of them approached the castle, when one of them stopped. The others turned to him.

"What is it Greg," said Suzy, "just remembered you left the cooker on ?"
"What are they ?" asked Greg.

His friend saw who Greg was looking at, Molly, Julie and Diana on the winged white unicorns blocked their path into the castle. Hope, Anne, Davina and Sandra walked between the Riders. The girls partially withdrew their swords.

"Friends ?" asked Hope, "or foes."

This had the desired effect.

"Another drink would be a good idea right now," said Suzy, as she went away from the castle.

In the middle, the talk now convcentrated on the humans that were being killed, Carissma and Paul were the only ones who had spoken of 'unnatural' deaths. Giles indicated that some-one they all knew and trusted should be asked to deal with any problem that there was. The generals looked around. Goddess Darla said that the protector should be sought.

As people travelled through Stow-In-The-Wold they felt better, it was as though the town had a good presence, if only they knew. Even now there seemed to be a calmness and a welcoming, despite all the murders of the seven men, the four women and the twelve children that used to live in the town, some of the other towns nearby had lost members of their community,

at last count twenty six people had been killed, yet the police hadn't been able to find any clues to the culprit or culprits.
Life in the towns changed as now no-one ventured anywhere alone, even loners had long staying visitors.

During the week-ends the town got back to its normal routine, the morris dancers gave their usual entertainment to the holiday makers, the sightseers and the locals, Friday nights were very quiet though, the restaurants were almost empty, public houses had hardly a customer, every shadow was watched for movement.

In the villages of the Compton's people looked out from the safety of their houses. The only outdoors area that seemed to have life was at the Rollright stone circle. The once famous witches usually did their worshipping in secret, but this was not the time for that. Karen, Jennifer and Daniel met and began a special ritual, as they neared it's end, Karen declared that they had been successful.

"On Sunday we need to go to the proper location."

At two twenty the troupe of travelling morris dancers met in Stows town square, they prepared themselves to keep the people there enjoying themselves. At the western end of town Karen walked the path, dressed in a long heavy brown hooded robe, loosely tied at the front with golden rope. She carried with her a six foot staff, every second step she took she hit the path with it.

Eldery residents saw her approach, they moved aside for her and bowed as she passed by them, Karen went up to the morris dancers.

"Now is not your time, wait until we have finished."

Karen went to the road and caste a line across it, she then paced a further forty nine paces and caste another line. She went back to wait for the others.

Six others from the coven walked along the road, they were dressed as Karen, for every second step they took the echo of they staff hitting the road made more people aware of their presence. They met and greeted Karen, carefully placing a single bell on the left arm and leg, two bells were placed on their right arm and leg, three bells were put on the staff.

They moved to the centre of the road then formed a circle. An elderly woman and her daughter had just come out of the bakers shop, the daughter looked at them.

"You know who they are don't you ?" asked the mother, Edith.
"Should I ?, mum ?" asked Marilyn.
"As my mother told me, I told you of the day when this might happen."
"What makes you think that they are them ?" asked Marilyn.
"There's only seven of them, and look at where the line was drawn on the road, no car has gone past that line !"

"So they are the Rollright witches ?" asked Marilyn.
"Times must be bad for them to be here," said Edith.
"What do you mean, the last time they did this, when was it, what was it for ?" asked Marilyn.

"A geat evil shadowed the land, the evil was fought, that was in sixteen forty two, I was never told what could happen though, and I never expected to find out," said Edith.
"But mum, witches in this day and age ?" asked Marilyn.
"You should believe your mother."

"Thank you, you hear that Marilyn ?, I don't know you though, who are you ?" asked Edith.
"People just refer to me as Giles."
"What brings you here ?" asked Edith.
"I'm showing these girls the area," said Giles.

"I don't think girls is right for them, more like young women, how many are there ?" asked Marilyn.
"I'm trying to keep track of fourteen of them. They're getting ready."

Facing into they're circle they hit the road seven times with their staff, then stood still.

"What was that ?" asked Marilyn.
"Any-ones guess," said Edith.
"They are calling the old ones," said Giles

The witches faced away from the circle, side stepped three paces to the right then struck the road seven times then six paces to the left striking the road seven times. They faced the middle then struck the road seven times again, they faced away from the circle and bowed, moving one pace to the right and striking the road, that was done a further six times faced to the middle then bowed knelt and placed their staff on the road so that the ends made a circle ends.

"That was it, the power of the sevens and the nine," said Edith.

As Marilyn watched them she saw a dome of yellow light appear in the circle created by the ends of the staff's

"That was the sign, we need to wait at the stones," said Karen.
"The Stones ? what stones ?" asked Marilyn.
*18 "The stone circle near the road to Banbury," said Edith.
*19 "I'll get some bread marg and cheese," said Giles.

The owner of the grocer's said that he'd take plates, knifes and the hot drinks
Several hours had gone by, the darkness around them grew in intensity. The witches formed a line around the circle.

"It's going to happen soon, I can feel the air change here."

A soft white glow began to cover the stone circle, people from the towns and villages stepped back, no-one wanting to turn away from the light. The wind seemed to pass through the trees without making a sound.

Seventeen of the Elite stood facing out from the circle. Nine demon hunters leapted from the centre joining the Elite. Hope looked around, then saw them.

"Slayers ! join us !"
"What !" exclaimed Edith as the fourteen girls with Giles strode forth, their clothes changing to be that of the armed forces.
"Mum !, I'd never have thought of this," exclaimed Marilyn.

Diana appeared in the circle on her winged white unicorn, then Molly on her charge, then Julie. The three of them rose into the sky. The glowing figure of Goddess Medusera stood in the centre, she pointed to a stone.

"Guards, be seen," called Goddess Medusera.

Seven of the Elite appeared, six of them ran to join the line just inside the stones, Judith arose from her stone. The General of the Elite listened to the air, looked up to the immortal hunters.

"Molly, Julie, Diana !, be ready," called Buffy, "the protector comes."

The hunters, slayers, Elite and the Riders joined facing to the centre, they withdrew their swords, held them to the centre of the stone circle, then held then upright, handles at theirs chins in salute. The witches stood by them, as a lone figure emerged into the brightness.

"But, that's Dawn," said Anne.

Carissma and Paul came from the shadows,

"I need to speak with the protector," said Carissma, "fourteen days ago paul and I took in a vampire, we have tried to help him yet nothing has happened."
"It is almost as though he is using us to hide," said Paul.
"Molly, Diana, Julie, search for this vampire," called Dawn.

Diana found him feeding on a human, she held him and forced him to watch the sunrise with her.

*17
Kenilworth Castle. Founded by Geoffrey de Clinton, Henry the 1st's treasure in the 1120s. Kenilworth later became a Royal Fortress but as it was so big it was deemed hard to defend and fell to ruin.

*18
The Rollright Stone circle
The site is South of Banbury near the turn of to Stow-In-The-Wold.

*19
Who can forget the man and his slices of cheese.
[What sort of cheese slices were they ?]

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 37

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 37 part 1 MISSING, AN ESCAPEE FROM THE RIVER STAYX

EIGHT AM, MONDAY.
At Hillhouse the mornings light had searched all the rooms, Saffron was looking for Garet, she ventured into the kitchen, seeing Graham she asked him where Garet was.

"He just went into the cold store."
"Fair enough, when he comes back can you tell him I've just gone for some computer supplies, I'll be back, three hours at most."

At the end of the afternoon all those from Tuckenhay and Tintagel had gone to Hillhouse for a get together. Graham had catered for the occasion, doing his usual best for every-one. Davina and Julie were deep in discussion about the fabled stories of Billy Bunter. Dani was trying unsuccessfully to get Leia

to tell her about the boys she had known in Welshpool, feeling unhappy
about her success rate she went to get a top-up for her drink, Garet was there getting himself another meat pie.

SEVEN TWENTY PM MONDAY.
"We'll have to have a word with Graham, there's one glass too many," remarked Dani.
"That's a sackable offence," said Garet, smiling at Dani, "should we give him his marching orders today or tomorrow ?"

As Garet left the food bar.

"What's up Garet, you looked concerned about something ?" asked Wesley.
"There's a glass left over on the bar, that type of glass is only used by four of us, I can see three but I can't see the other user."

He indicated for Graeves to come to him.

"Discreetly ask around, I can't see Saffron, find out when she was last seen. Graham told me this morning that she was going to get some stuff, but that was almost twelve hours ago."

Half an hour later they met up.

"No-one has seen Saffron since this morning," said Wesley.
"I've a vague memory Of Darla telling me to watch Saffron," said Graeves," but that was years ago."
"I remember a bit, Darla said we were to help Saffron," said Pitts.
"Goddess Darla said that ?" asked Garet.
"No, that was before Darla was made a Goddess. Wave over Dani and Leia."

"What's up ?" asked Leia.
"I'm trying to find out about Saffron, Graeves and Pitts said about Darla telling them about her, what do you remember ?" asked Garet.

"Darla did mention about this girl several times, but she was talking about a Sharon, I seem to remember the letter 'c' was in the name. Darla said that Amanda had told her, that the girl was important. There was something about, she's lead us to hell, and something about the entry to hell, can't think what though," said Leia.

"Pitts, what do you know of a Scharon ?" asked Graeves
"Depends from when, if you believe the rumours, then she'd have to be an immortal, she's have to be several thousand years old," said Pitts.

Scherry opened the door wider and came in, she looked at them.

"What is it ?, what's going on ?" asked Scherry
"We're trying to find out about Saffron, seems she's gone missing," said Garet
"Saffron is missing, for how long ?" asked Scherry, suddenly serious.
"We were trying to find out when she was last seen, it stands at twelve hours ago," said Garet.

"Garet, go tell the girls to get ready to move. Tell Diana, Julie and Molly to come in here."

They all left the room.

"Where do you want them to go ?" asked Garet.

Not hearing an answer he turned back, but Scherry had become the Goddess Medusera. Garet went out of the room, he called the girls to get ready.

"What does she want us to do ?" asked Hope.
"Find Saffron, this could be bad," said Garet.
"What makes you think that ?" asked Hope.
"I was talking to Scherry, I asked a question then not hearing a reply I turned back, but Scherry was the Goddess Medusera."

"Girls ! the Goddess wants us, I want three who haven't had a drink, who've slept today and have who've had a meal," called Hope.

The three that stepped forward were Fiona, Sandy and Jill.

"The rest of you get some sleep, be ready to take over from us."
"Your ready to go, that's good," said the Goddess, "do you know who you are looking for ?"
"Questions were being asked of Saffron," said Hope.
"Yes, but her real name is Scharon, she is an immortal. Find her, or prepare for war, Angel, be here."

"What is it ?" asked Angel, as he appeared next to her, "why was I called."
"The protected one is missing."
"Saffron ! oh no, the Riders will be sent, I will take control of the search."

Four girls began their drive to Torquay, to the office supplies shop, the rest of the girls went to get some rest.

"Pitts, you were beginning to tell about Saffron," said Goddess Medusera.
"I was going to describe a girl that Darla spoke of, she was the daughter of *20 Charon, I didn't say that Saffron was Scharon. Ok, if Saffron is Scharon she'd be immortal."
"Saffron is protected by the us Goddesses, if she is missing, we go to war."

"So.?...What.....?" Pitts breathed in very deeply, "we've got twenty four hours to find her, then eight hours or so, it'll be on, we go ?. Was I right."
"Keep going," said Goddess Medusera.

"Saffron is Scharon, her father was Charon, he who in Greek Mythology ferried the dead into the underworld, mind you if it's true then he ferried the undead into hell on the River Stayx."
"The vampires, they, we would go there," said Graeves.

"Yes, we'd all be like my other saw, Turok-Han's. Scharon helped Charon to stop, so Darla was able to help them stop, but now we'd all return, we could all be pure evil, demonic killing beings," said Pitts.

"Garet wake all the girls, Saffron needs to be found. I will inform the others," said Goddess Medusera.

Giles appeared near the office, just before Faith.

"Garet ! I just heard Angel, he said I was needed, where is he," said Giles.
"He's in the staff room," replied the Goddess Medusera.
"That was Giles, who else will be called ?" asked Garet.
"If she isn't found, they will all be called," said Goddess Medusera.

Garet ran up the stairs, he woke the girls and told them to go to the main room. Once they were all in the room.

"Hope told us to be ready for tomorrow, so why wake us now ?" asked Leia.
"Because I told him to."

Leia was about to say something then she noticed the other girls starting to kneel, she turned quickly and saw all the Goddesses.

In the staff room Angel had put up two white bords and organised the tables around the other three sides of the room.

"Faith, will you go and help those that search. Giles can you liase with the police, put on the whiteboard who is where, when they started and the size of the group they are in," said Angel.
"Fred is in the library, she has already started kepping record of who is where," said Faith.
"Good, ask her to be in here."

Garet looked into the room, seeing Angel.

"I am just going to the Totnes police, let them know what is happening."
"Can you take Giles with you ?" asked Angel.
"Goddess Dawn, will you get Willow here, set up in the ESP rooms. Try and find Saffron, use scrying if you have to," said Angel.

"Wesley, I want you to write on the boards what areas, roads have been checked and by who. Write what part of what army, how many, their times in and out and what places they're at."
"Goddess Medusera, the Soldiers and Infantry are almost in position, but I need more. The Riders are sweeping all areas, I'd like all Elite involved, every-one here should be protected by three of them.

All roads north and west of Newton Abbot, the coastal roads in and around Teignmouth. You had a job there, for a Trudi. As she lives on the main road her help would be good. I need more to the south and west of Torbay, the Elite would be of help there."

"That is done Angel, I've also called the Knights to cover Totnes. The God Pan is moving to help......., he says Herne The Hunter will be with him......, Herne has many friends...., they will cover the lands between the A303 and Teignmouth," replied the Goddess Medusera.

EIGHT THIRTY PM MONDAY
Garet took Giles to see his friend Dave at Totnes police station.

"Hello Garet, long time no see, who's your friend ? what can we do for you ?"
"This is Giles, he was brought here to help us, and there's six others with us. The problem we have is that one of our friends went missing today, we need to find her," said Garet.
"We'd like to wait twenty four hours, gives them time to return," said Dave.

"If she isn't found in that time the peace loving friends of ours, they will start to make plans of war. It'll make the do at Stonehenge look like a trivial little event, imagine the three World Wars happening tonight," said Giles.
"Your being serious aren't you, where will the war be ?" asked Dave.
"Hopefully you won't see it, but to avoid it we need to find Saffron,

she hasn't...oh....., I haven't experienced that before."
"Garet ? what just happened ?" asked Dave.
"Saffron's car has just been found at the top end of Torquay."
"How did you know that Garet ?" asked Dave.
"I heard a voice in my head telling me."

"There's a few forms....,here they are......,we'll fill them out."
"That's alright, as long as you realise that everything I tell you will be lies."
"The truth would be better," said Dave.
"Ok, let's see, if Saffron isn't found she could become Scharon. Her father's role in life was unpaid, he used to ferry the dead in to hell and he died about five thousand years ago," said Garet.

"Tell me some good lies then, I don't think my bosses will go for that."
"And if you want to know more about her father look up Greek Mythology under Charon," said Giles.

As Fiona and Jill walked the footpath they became aware of others nearby.

"That isn't Hope and Sandy is it ?" asked Jill.
"I can feel four of them," said Fiona.

They stopped, from a shop front they looked around.
Wandering along the middle of the road were Davina, Blue, Dani and Leia.

"Hi there any news."
"Hope told us to keep to ourselves, to be quiet and unseen," said Jill.
"It's changed a bit since then," said Blue.
"What's the news then, has Saffron been found ?" asked Fiona.
"This comes from the Goddess T 'ara, if we haven't found her in thirty hours or so, the search is official," said Dani.

"Shouldn't we keep looking ?" asked Fiona.
"We've been told to stay by Saffron's car and wait for Julie, Molly and Diana to get here," said Davina.
"What if she is taken out of the area ?" asked Jill.
"Then hopefully they see her."

"Who's that ?" asked Jill.
"The Riders," said Leia.
"You ought to see the staff room at Hillhouse, its like a war room now. It's being run by the two Generals of Byzantium," said Leia.
"What happens if Saffron isn't found ?" asked Fiona.

"We haven't been told everything, but at a rough guess, I'd say we get an all expenses paid trip into hell, and if we're lucky, we get to make the return journey."
"She's that important then ?" asked Jill.
"Yes, you know how we protect Pitts now, well Saffron has been protected by all the Goddesses," said Davina.

TEN PAST SEVEN AM TUESDAY
Dave had been out for his jog and was wide awake. He turned the kettle on and had just put some bread in the toaster when the phone started ringing.

"You've ring me, I've answered the phone, so tell me what it is that you want."
"Hello Dave it's Garet, I thought I'd give you an update. Saffron is more important than we thought, we were at, oh dear she is missing, find her, to, we've got to midnight to find her, now it's find her by mid-night or we go. So that in mind, can you come to our place at about nine this morning.

EIGHT FIFTY FIVE AM TUESDAY
Just before nine, Dave walked into Hillhouse, had a quick look around, saw Garet and went over to him.

"Busy here isn't it," said Dave.
"As you may be aware we've got a library here, earlier two people were researching, then they found something of interest, so a few more joined them then other stuff was found and more started to help, now there's about twenty five. And more coming. It's a bit unfortunate really, what I'll do is tell you who each of them are."

"If you find out anything, anything at all, ring me, anytime."
"Okay, but earlier you indicated that it would be later when the balloon goes up, if your asleep who'll get the phone ?" asked Dave.
"That'll be Goddess Medusera, you've met her, when she was Scherry, but the Goddess won't sleep," said Garet.

When Saffron was at the Tintagel farm she always did the shopping at the store in Camelford, she had made friends with the shop assistant there, Amy.
Amy was visiting her aunt and uncle in Torquay. At five fifty that morning she went to the local petrol station to top up and get the paper, she had decided to leave early that day and stop at a few places on the way home.

She'd just turned towards the town of Newton Abbot when she saw her friend Saffron walking along the roadside, so she stopped to offer her a lift.
As soon as Saffron recognised Amy she rushed to greet her.

"Am I glad to see you, I can't remember why or how long I've been here," said Saffron.
"You want me to take you to a hospital ?" asked Amy.
"Don't think so, if your going back, the others at the farm will sort me out."
"I was going to stop at a few places on the way back, I'm going to get some Scrumpy," said Amy.

A ten past nine Diana, Julie and Molly who had been following Saffron's trail, found the end of the trail.

"Judging from where we are I'd say she got a lift," said Diana.

Goddess T 'ara was told. At nine twenty the Goddess was told of Saffron being the passenger in a car passing the road into Ipplepen. The make colour and type of vehicle details were sent to Dave. Hundreds were given new positions.

Amy thought it would be nice to go and see their friends Simon and Samantha in Wadebridge. Saffron agreed with her, Amy thought the scenic route would be nice so she went via the country lanes.
As Amy and Saffron got to Samantha's house before Simon finished work the three of them went out for a walk, discussing important questions like why Wadebridge was named Wadebridge.

Samantha decided to get a special meal for Simon, fish and chips, with mushy peas !, after the meal and a few card games, they may have had a drink or two with alcoholic content. Out came the scrabble board.
At half past eleven that night Simon called a halt to the proceedings as he needed to get some sleep.

Samantha brought some blankets and some pillows for Amy and Saffron.

SIX FIFTEEN AM WEDNESDAY
Simon quietly put the light on, and tip-toed across the floor in his steel toe capped work boots, casually cleared his throat, went to the kitchen and put the kettle on, he had put his mug on the top ready for his mornings cuppa.

"Best to make three mugs, you accidentally woke Saffron as well," said Amy.

Simon was going to act all surprised when he turned around, instead he stared at Saffron.

"When did you put those on ?"
"What on earth are you wearing ?" asked Amy.

Saffron looked at what she was wearing, she knew something was wrong.

"I'll need to phone the farm," said Saffron.
"Hang on !!, you didn't have a change of clothes, you do to sleep in jeans and jumper, and you wake up in, you look like Xena in a bad mood !" exclaimed Amy.

Samantha stumbles into the room via the wall and the doorframe, her eyes were nearly open, she looked at Saffron, closed her eyes then tried again.

"What are you wearing ?"
"Now you've done it Saffron, woken her before her first coffee," said Simon.
"SHUT UP !, get me a drink," Samantha ordered.
"What did I tell you, but look at the bright side," said Simon, "I'm off to work byee."

While Samantha was downing her drink and getting herself fit to deal with the land of the living, Amy rang the farm.

"There's no answer at the farm, we'll go there in ten minutes or so," said Amy.

Samantha stood and stared at Saffron.

"I'm still waiting to find out about those clothes as well."
"But they are real, those, those swords are real, where did you get them, what are you looking for ?" asked Samantha.
"I can smell gas....................................................................

As Simon arrived at his work, the Wadebridge garage, his boss went to him.

"There's been a big gas explosion at your house, they've got Sammy, she's been taken to the hospital, you get there, let me know how she is."
"What about our friends, there was two others who stayed with us last night ?" asked Simon.
"You go to the hospital, I'll tell the police about the other two, now go."

There were two doctors and four nurses waiting for the ambulances when Simon went into the emergency rooms.
When the explosion happened Saffron thrust Amy and Samantha down to the floor, covering them with the blankets, she wasn't in time as her body was slammed against the wall.

TEN TWENTY AM WEDNESDAY
A doctor was being given a report about the new patient in the ICU. Fifty per cent burns, broken leg in three places, crushed left arm, fractured skull on a life support machine, she still has brain activity.
There was two others in the explosion, I think this girl saved them.

"What's the policeman at the door for ?" asked the doctor.
"This one was carrying some weapons, a long sword, a short sword...
"Please don't tell me a crossbow as well ?"
"Yes !, do you know her ?" asked an ICU nurse.
"Her kind, have you got her clothes ?"

"The police were just in here, they are still laid out on the trolley."

The nurse pulled back the curtain.

"Oh no, not again. Right, okay, do you remember about seven years ago, what happened here. I do, and I'm sure I saw one of them when I was on holiday, I'll ring that place, just to be sure. Call the police station, get her stuff here."
"Hello, who is that ?"
"Garet, this is Hillhouse."

"Good it's the right place, I'm calling from Wadebridge hospital, I'm a doctor here, I was just doing my rounds, there's a young woman in the Intensive Care Unit. There's some-one that I want to speak to there, but I don't know her name, er, the one I want, well I think she glowed."

The doctor heard a Scherry being called.

"I've been told that you want to speak to me," said Scherry.
"As I've just said I'm a doctor, oh wait a minute."
"Can I help you."
"I was in the explosion, I'm Amy, I just want to sit with Saffron."
"Hello, I've just been told this girls name is Saffron, can you help ?" asked the doctor.

"We're coming for her now," said Scherry.
"Officer," said the doctor, "the place I just rang they now her, remember that girl in the morgue, seven ye........."

At the foot of Saffron's bed Molly, Diana, Julie, Faith and Hope appeared in full battledress.

"Clear the bed," ordered Faith.
"Don't hurt her !" exclaimed Amy. The doctor stepped to her.
"I don't think that is why they are here, they're wearing the sa....where's her clothes gone ?" asked the doctor.

A white light filled the room, emerging from the light came the Goddess Medusera.

"Your not who I saw before, she glowed blue," said the doctor.
"You saw the Goddess T 'ara. Elite be seen."

The General of the Elite, Buffy, went to be at her friends side.

"Amy, she lucky to have such a good friend. Saffron, rise and be with us," said Buffy.
"Amy !, Amy, talk to me Amy," said Saffron.
"But.., but you were nearly dead..., now your standing like nothings wrong."
"It's okay Amy, she needs to be ready. I'm sorry Saffron, we all thought you had been taken, now it is too late to stop, we are going," said Buffy.

"What does she need to be ready for, where are you going ?" asked Amy.
"It was because of Saffron being missing, we thought they had taken her, we were going there to save her," said Faith.
"Where were you going to go ?" asked Amy.
"Not were, Amy, are !. And it's hell," said Faith.

"What !."

The phone rang, an ICU nurse answered it.

"Hello, oh, okay. Is there a Molly here ?" she called.
"Molly here, who is it.?.....,Garet what's up.........,I'll get her."
"Goddess, it's Garet, there's problems at Hillhouse."

Goddess Medusera listened to Garet.

"Molly to Tintagel, get them to Hillhouse, Diana get all at Tuckenhay to Hillhouse, the rest of you, your with me. That was Garet Hillhouse just lit up big time," said the Goddess Medusera.

"Oh please !, get a room you two," said Molly.
"Then you should have appeared outside and knocked," said Curremy.
"The least you could have done is hit him," said Molly smiling.
"What are you here for ?" asked Westy.

"We'd just got Saffron, then Garet rang and said Hillhouse just lit up, I was told to get every-one there," said Molly.
"SUE !, every-one !, front room, now !," shouted Curremy.

A loud thump was heard, a door slammed, then Sue was in the doorway.

"What is it ?"
"We were at the hospital, with Saffron, Garet called as Hillhouse just lit up like an airport runway."
"Westy, get the others to Hillhouse with the stones," said Goddess Curremy.

A car was passing Hillhouse when Goddess Medusera and Saffron appeared, for some reason the children's parents didn't believe what they'd just seen.
Saffron opened the door to the museum.

"Who's in there ?"
"I am," said Blue, "Mark, Graeves, Pitts and Dawn as well."
"Bring Mark, Pitts and Graeves out here," said Saffron.

Saffron noticed behind her.

"Your still as a Goddess, why."

The goddesses Curremy, Darla, Turee and T 'ara appeared.

"We should go inside," said Goddess T 'ara.

The five Goddesses went inside, the yellow light began to fade, then the Goddess came out.

"Well Blue, you'll get to see the sixth Goddess now," said Goddess Medusera.
"Then this is what Amanda said, 'when she comes, the entry and the egress will be guarded by her. They will not enter nor will they flee, when she feels or when she see's, they will cease to be. She is the Protector."

Still glowing, the Goddess Dawn stood at the door to the museum.

"The leader of evil comes, be ready."

The coloured domes of light began to zig-zag through Hillhouse and it's grounds, the Elite appeared and moved every-one away from the front of Hillhouse, the road was blocked.
A pillar of light emerged on the lawn, then ceased to be.

"He is here, he is the Som-rotan, the prince of demons," called the Goddess Dawn.

Karen and Jennifer of the Rollright witches appeared next to Goddess Dawn.

"y oo nis I YAY, nNay Isen ah yaY. IgiA U GiA ntiO Isen, I sen Ya A."

The other Goddess moved to surround the Som-rotan.
The form of a pentagram burnt in lines on the lawn, each of the five Goddesses at a point each.
The pillar of light returned trapping the Som-rotan.
Karen, Jennifer and the Goddess Dawn called out.

"IEN-NI, IDI ANa, SUU ESET, TAE RET, ieN ARN CIuM, AH SET ieN I AH CIuM, AH CIETEN ARNAE CIUM, TI CI OON!. E CIO JER E CIO JER E CIO JER. AN A EIN DE-IEN, SUU ES SET-TA, AH CET iEN, AH CET iAN, DES INE INDII iS A, TU CIU EM-EN."

The light from the domes of the Goddess formed around the Som-rotan as the pillar of light faded revealing him on his knees, the light from Goddess Dawn swept over him then faded.

"He is gone, the Som-rotan is no more," called the Goddess Turee.

Garet left a message on Dave's answer machine.

"I've tried to contact Graham with no luck, can you tell him we have gone into hell. If I can I'll contact him in a few days."
"I don't want to leave you Pitts," said Blue. Then she kissed him.
"So don't, the vampire in me may die, but the keeper of the light never will, I will always be needed. If you want I can put a chair up there for you."

In the north west of Australia on the Fortesque River, two thousand Riders began to appear. The demon hunters appeared along the bank near Scharon, the boat appeared, then she and Graeves got in and the walls of the river opened. Goddess Turee stopped the water flowing before it became the River Stayx. Goddess Dawn emerged above the boat, the Protector began to protect.

The demon hunters marched into hell on the dry riverbed, the Armed Forces of Byzantium followed. Even though the lake in hell was but three foot deep the Goddess Turee parted the waters allowing the armies to walk in unhindered.
As they stood on the hill side they looked at the massive building in front of them, it wasn't high but it covered a vast area.
The Goddess Turee thought to Scharon.

'What lies in the building ?'
'I do not know, ask Illyria she should know,' thought Scharon.

Illyria stood in front of Goddess Turee.

"What do you want of me ?" asked Illyria.
"When I asked you to rescue Angel before, what did you see inside the walls ?"
"I could not get in, the demon would not let me in."
"Then how was Angel rescued ?"

"I told you, it was my childhood friend, Faith," said Illyria.
"I never realised Faith went in by herself !" said Goddess Turee.
"Ooh look, home sweet home," said Faith.
"How can we get in, Faith ?" asked Goddess Turee.
"Not by me, I wouldn't want to push my luck," said Faith.

"Let me see, I know, Hope, Christina, Sandra you are the ones to meet the demon's at the wall. Sandra you talk to him, treat him as a valued friend, do not disrespect him."
"I heard you went into hell to rescue Angel, but that was in another dimension," said Hope.

"No, the lake is a portal, this is the hell for all dimensions. What Spike did, it didn't reach here as this is a different dimension, it was luck the devil was in that dimension."

As Hope, Sandra and Christine neared the walls seven two headed demons stood in their way.

"Do your heads think the same or do you argue with yourself ?" asked Sandra.
"One is to decide what you think of me, the other reacts, and yes Sandra, they are all copies of me. You may pass, your two friends may pass as may your other friends over the hill," said the two headed demon.

As Hope, Sandra and Christina stood facing the gates.

"Sandra as you value the friendship of others, I will tell you this, there is eight sections and for every section there is two parts, at the first of each part they will attack, but at the second they will runaway. You must lead the way but never step back. Under each arch none will not be seen," said the two headed demon.

Hope looked at Faith then at Sandra.

"We do not have a leader, but if one is ever chosen let it be you."

Hope gave Sandra a hug, then turned and faced the gates of hell.


*20
Of Charon he who in Greek Mythology ferried the dead into the underworld, as long as coins were placed on the lips of the dead as they were buried.
Cerebus allowed all to enter but he was not as helpful if they tried to leave, the Underworld was said to be surrounded by the River of Woe, the River of Lamentation, the River of Fire, the River Styx and the River of Oaths by which the Gods swore.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 38

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 38 BEYOND THE GATES

Sandra went to stand next to Hope.

"Now I've done it," said Sandra.
"What now."
"That demon said don't go back, be the first at everything."
"Okay then, that isn't a problem, you tell me how it'll be done, and that's how it'll be done," said Hope.

"Get a pen and paper, make a line for each part, then as we go through them cross them off," said Sandra.

Hope asked Anne to get a pen and paoer for her.

"When we go through each archway I'll get the first of them, then you lot can follow in, if there's lines of us then as one line stops another line moves forward, that way I don't go backward," said Sandra.
"Somethings wrong there, how will you get back your arrows. The other thing is if there's an end half way around you have to walk back," said Hope.

"So I should stay at each archway ?" asked Sandra, "and in each second part ?"
"The stop might be half way round again," said Hope.
"But what if it isn't, they run away from us, so if they keep running they eventually run against our backs !"

"Tricky little buggers, then there's the cramp," said Hope.
"How does cramp come into it ?" asked Sandra.
"If we're lying down, kneeling, or standing, eight sections with two parts maybe half an hour in each part that's eight hours," replied Hope.

"So if there's three lines of us, we use all our arrows, then three more lines take our place."
"Sounds okay but we'll still need the arrows back, then there's the other problem. There's three hundred of us, eight per line, three lines is twenty four, then there's the two directions, hence, we don't have enough people."

"There's a few more of us than that."
"Who said that ?" asked Sandra.

The General of The Elite appeared.

"As are you, so are we, we are all from the same," said Buffy, "Hope, look behind you, there are seven hundred of the Elite, we can be invisible so we can get the used arrows. I was a slayer, Saffron is a hunter, the Elite are as us. The Riders are Soldiers, the dead slayers and hunters become Riders and they number two thousand six hundred [they all appear], so now there's three thousand six hundred of us," said Buffy.
"Hey don't forget us, that's three thousand eight hundred and seventy two."

The vampire slayers appeared.

"How many Hope ?" asked Sandra.
"More than you can poke a stick at," replied Hope.
"Fancy seeing you here Buffy," said Faith
"Well, I couldn't let you have the glory," said Buffy, "but I was just told that you've already been here."

"What can I say ?, last time I was here I sent myself a post card, ' Wish You Were Here ', so here I am," said Faith, "bugger of a time finding a post box though."
"So here we go then," said Sandra.

She pushed open the Gates of Hell, walked under the archway then fired several shots at the vampires, she was soon joined by slayers and hunters taking the free shots, when all was dust the arrows began to return.

"Okay then, each group is three lines of three so about twenty five per group, I reckon twenty groups each side, that should do us," said Anne.

Once the first part was finished, Sandra went into the second part, Hope stopped her saying the ones following were a little to happy. Sandra gave them ten minutes to calm down. She stepped forward to the edge of the arch then fired at the vampires, once again many joined her for the free shots.

"Be careful Hope, stand your ground, make sure none are still running away from the other side, before the next group move," explained Sandra.

Hope led her forces forward, as soon as they saw the vampires Hope's groups charged at them, Sandra did hear Hope's voice.

"First one to two hundred gets a choccy biscuit from Graeves."

The masses of them dealt with each section quickly, it was only three hours before Sandra stood facing the final door. She opened the door and Hope walked towards the big opening in the ground, molten rocks bubbled at it's surface.

"That's a thought, as it was Hope who walked here first she has to lead the way from now on. So what do we do, bearing in mind there's lots of people waiting for you," said Sandra.

Hope looked at what lay in front of her, a very large pit of molten lava, and a hole in the roof above her. Anne picked a coin from one of her pockets, she casually flicked it in to the lava, as soon as it was over the lava it went up, throught the opening in the ceiling.

"Must admit, I didn't expect that," said a surprised Anne.

Hope felt Sandra's arm around her.

"See what's in front of you ?, what comes to mind ?" asked Sandra.
"Judging where your arm is,I'd say Lovers leap," said Hope.
"Or a leap of faith," said Sandra.

She took Hope with her as they jumped off the edge of the pit, then rose throught the roof, standing on firm ground again.

"That was fun, can we do that again, oh and you can move your arm now."
"Sorry, good thing I prefer girls that are less than two hundred years old."

"Come on then," said Sandra, leaning over the edge.

Many of the girls began jumping over the lava then rising through the hole in the roof. Anne looked around the room, there were thirty full length glass panels, she asked Christina what she thought was behind them.

"At a rough guess I'd say more demons."
"More of them ?" asked Sandra.
"We haven't seen that many today," said Hope.
"While I was standing waiting for you all to stop enjoying yourselves I had plenty of time to think. So, you all used up your arrows in each section. Now five hundred each side, ten arrows each, sixteen parts, that's a hundred and

sixty thousand demons you just wasted."
"Blimey, like you said Sandra, that is a lot of them, so how many are here and what are they ?" asked Hope.
"I'll call down, otherwise we may not have enough room to protect ourselves," said Faith.

The glass panels shattered, demons began to attack the girl's, they were slashing them with their daggers, making the demons bodies look like pin cushions with all the arrows in them.

"Throw them down to the pit !," shouted Buffy.

The Goddess Medusera and Serajoss were waiting a bit back from the pit when demons began to fall into the lava.

"That's one way to get rid of them," said Serajoss.
"Stops any overcrowding as well."
"I can see one problem though, there's a lot of the demons with arrows in them, bet Hope asks for them back," said Goddess Medusera.

When they went up to see the girls Anne, Christina and Hope were tapping their feet.

"That's typical, they spend their time chatting, no thought for us," said Hope.
"The least they could have done is bring our arrows back," said Anne.
"Well, I was nearly right."
"Bet they thought it was okay for them to just stand about and do nothing," said Hope.

"What do you think Serajoss, time to leave," said Goddess Medusera.
"Typical, flamin slackers," remarked Christina.
"Come on, let the hard workers see what's next," said Hope.
"Does she mean us Sandra ?" asked Anne.
"I hope not."

Hope nearly said something rude.

"Don't turn around, keep moving forward," said Sandra.
"You rotten pair !, of flaming.......!

Hope would have finished what she was saying, but the laughing stopped her.

"Long time coming, but it was worth the wait," said Goddess Medusera.

Hope and the girls went out of the room into passage ways, screams seemed to emanate from the walls. In front of them was a big passage with a smaller passage on each side.

"That screaming is coming from along the passage, so maybe we've been through the worst," said Hope.
"The bit behind us could have been just for demons, in that case what lays ahead are the human's," agreed Anne.

"That being so,I'd have thought that these tunnels are for them, not so they get lost in them, just to bring them to here so that they can be taken back
even so, if fifty go into each one I'd guess they come back to this passage a bit further on," said Sandra.

When Hope reached the join of the passages she could see another pit.

"More lava," said Hope.
"But the ones going into it look like humans," said Faith.
"See how they are going into that pit, looks like a slope, maybe that's the proverbial slippery slope," said Buffy.
"So the pit might be known as fire and brimstone," said Faith.

"There is another problem here, that pit back there, those going down went into the lava, this end, well it's to far to jump," said Christina.
"So Anne ? this friend of yours, likes throwing a spanner in the works does she ?" asked Sandra.

"You know what the trick is don't you ?" asked Christina, "put some used chewing gum on the spanner, it'll stick where you throw it."
"So how about one of us goes back to that hole, asks them below to send some unicorns for us to escape," suggested Faith.
"Come on Faith," said Buffy, "I'll go with you.

"Y'know this could be interesting, well the humans would have their own way in to hell, so that could be the way out, which may be from the tunnel that Pitts and Blue are in," said Anne.
"This I like," said Hope, "start thinking how to surprise Pitts."

With the unicorns the girls began to safely make their way along the passage, Anne pulled at Hope's shoulder.

"Look ahead, there's a light."

Faith made her way to the front, she whispered to Hope.

"Yeah, good thinking Faith," said Hope.

"YOO-HOO!!!, MR PITTY, YOO-HOO!!," shouted Hope.

Pitts and Blue stood at the entrance to the tunnel, watching as the girls drew closer to them.
Faith pointed away from the light.

"Is that the way out ?"
"Um............yeah," said Pitts after several of the girls had gone passed him.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 39

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 39 THE WE

After getting the newspaper and the post from the shops, Garet and Graeves relaxed in the office.

"Anything in the post for the Myth team, Graeves ?"
"No, anything interesting in the local paper ?"
"Just the normal stuff, and an account of some deaths up north."
"So why did you get it ?" asked Graeves.

"You'll never know what you'll find," said Garet.
"It's just in case there's a picture of Sue in it, Graeves," said Wesley.
"As if he'd find anything."
"This'll do us, there's a carnival in town, we could go."

"Sounds like fun," agreed Graeves.
"Get every-one up here, I'll ring around, tell them to be here at seven thirty tomorrow night."
"I'll make sure there is enough transport here," said Graeves.

At seven fifteen the following evening, the coaches arrived to ferry them to the carnival.
As they wandered around, a clairvoyants tent was noted.

"Come on then, it says about a real gypsy reader, lets find out if they know the stuff," said Garet.
"Pass the word around, get them here, and by the way, the gypsy is a woman," said Dawn.
"A quid says your wrong," said Wesley.

"I hope you can afford to lose that," said Graeves.
"Yeah sure, but did you see the self doubt on Dawn's face," replied Wesley.
"Ask Hope, see if she'll go in first, with Darla. We can see what skills the reader has, then hopefully we can have some fun."
"And who'll be after them ?" asked Dawn.

"Curremy and Westy, Garet and Graeves, Sue and you, Dani and Leia then Molly and Dana. I'll sit at the back and help out," said Scherry.

Hope and Darla ok'ed Scherry being there, Hope flung back the entry flaps.

"Come on then, lets see what he says," said Hope.
"He is a she, and no jokes please," said Sylvia.
"What would I joke about, although Darla may know that," said Hope.
"Scherry, your staying, just so that I know when to start enjoying myself," said Darla.

"Trying to be subtle ? I've got a lump of four by two with laugh written on it," said Hope.
"Not another one," remarked Sylvia.
"Oh good, some-one else who doesn't like your comments Hope," said Scherry.
"Excuse me Scherry, is she always that funny, or does she wake up ?"

"I liked that Sylvia, don't let Hope hear you call her funny, or we'll never hear the last of it," said Scherry.
"Come inside you two, sit by the table," said Sylvia.
"Right then Hope, let me see your palm, life line first, hmm, very strong but with many breaks in it, but it continues. Put both hands on the crystal ball."

"You haven't got any problems with her, have you ?" asked Darla.
"Just a few, right Hope, I'd like you to empty your mind," instructed Sylvia.
"That means think of something," said Darla.
"Now then Darla, no comments like that, especially ones that I want to make, if she was wearing a hat, it would have been knocked off," said Sylvia.
"Yes, but she'd have to notice it," said Darla.

Sylvia and Darla smile, Hope looks to Scherry for an answer.

"Where do you come from Hope ?, oh, a Nancy girl, hmm, I heard they cut down trees there, the main export is lumps of four by two's. Darla, can you sit here please, I thought as much, you were both born at the same time, but neither of you were born this century," said Slyvia.
"How on earth did you know that ?" asked Darla.

Hope looked at Darla, then raised her eyebrows.

"You do realise that this century is only seven years old ?"
"That was a bit of an ice breaker, well sometimes anyway," said Sylvia.
"What did you mean by both of us being born at the same time ?" asked Darla.
"Simple, you were both born at exactly the same time."
"So how old are we ?" asked Darla.

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask that, it may include a previous life but, well, six hundred and fifteen years."
"I think that's about enough for you two," said Scherry.

Curremy and Westy walked into the tent, Curremy put her hand, palm up to be read.

"Abrupt and to the point," said Sylvia.
"Is that a problem for you ?" asked Curremy.
"It's a pleasant change, most people say they don't mind, then spend the next three days complaining about my choice," said Slyvia.

"So let me see, your a girl,...guess that ice breaker didn't work either, oh, you don't have a life line ?, crystal ball time I think, I see you playing with an animal, what !, a dinosaur ?"
"That is Sue's pet," said Curremy.
"Here it shows you fighting a vampire, hang on, your not fighting, your, oh !, glad there's no kids about."

"Come on, it's my turn, Best prepare yourself for a shock," said Westy.
"Why should I prpare myself for a shock ?" asked Sylvia.
"That's what my dads always say."
"You'll have to excuse him, he's been cursed," said Curremy.
"He's been cursed, by who, how ?"
"He calls Pitts dad," said Curremy.

Curremy, Westy, Scherry and Sylvia look to the entry as a loud laugh is heard.

"I love it, I love it, I love it," exclaimed Graeves.
"I take it the curse is a private joke ?" asked Sylvia.
"No, not really, mind you no-one else would understand it," said Westy.

Out side the gypsy's tent the standing waiting was making a few of them impatient, Graeves convinced Chaser and Fred to join him and Pitts on one of the rides. As they approached the nearest ride Graeves asked what it was.

"I've never been on one of these before, what do they do ?" asked Graeves.
"Don't look at me, my dad never took me on one, he never took me to a carnival," said Pitts.
"We all get in, when the ride starts we go round and around," said Fred.

"Sound's easy enough, if we get in girl boy boy girl, when you get scared you can hold my hand," said Pitts
"That's, when he gets scared he can hold your hand Fred," said Pitts.

As the ride started they were flung both ways quickly. When they passed the main group Dani called to Garet.

"That wasn't cries of happiness was it ?" asked Dani.

Garet went to get Scherry, he explained the situation, Scherry slowed the ride down. Sylvia was concerned that so many people entered her tent, then she glimpsed the faces of the vampires.

"Don't step back Anne," said Scherry.

Anne looked behind her but saw nothing, she looked puzzled.

"There's twelve of the Elite in here," said Scherry.
"Why are the Elite here ?" asked Jill.
"Just in case their needed," said Scherry.
"But, but the vampires, they are our friends," said Jill.
"If they are evil, they will be killed," said Scherry.

"Look at it from their side, if they aren't killed straight away, they might kill one of us, their friends. Just suppose they then turned back, how would they react to being told they had killed a friend ?" asked Dana.
"That makes it different, but we're not dressed for a fight," said Jill.
"The question is why did those two just become vampires ?" asked Scherry.

"Scherry," called Kennedy, "Fred wants to speak to you."
"What is it Fred ?"
"It was that ride that set them off, I tyhink the spinning set them off and they couldn't control themselves. Chaser and I, we heard our screams and we thought the worst and screamed even more...,Sherry what is it."

"That was the Goddess Turee, she agrees with what Fred just said, that same situation happened in the last dimension, just before a battle. Not a big battle but very imprtant," said Scherry.
"Back to normal then but Leia took it really bad, Dana and I will go in, but the rest of them should have a wander about, try to calm down," said Molly.

At mid morning the next day Sylvia walked into Hillhouse.

"Hello Sylvia, what brings you here ?" asked Fred.
"I was intruiged by you people yesterday, so I thought I'd come here. Maybe learn what happened last night."
"Many of those you saw last night have left, although others have arrived here," said Fred, "oh look it's the Dawn's they'll be able to help you."

"Hi Sylvia, what have you just volunteered us for Fred," said Dawn.
"Well it was good timing, we were just going to have a cuppa and a cake."
"Garet, the Dawn's are going to show Sylvia about, any chance of you getting us a cuppa ?" asked Fred.

"So Dawn, er, you Dawn. What do you do here ?" asked Sylvia.
"I help out in the reception, answer the phone, tell people what going om in the area. I'll help out in the coffee shop, maybe some exetcising, help in the musuem or do research," said Dawn.
"That's the Investigation's thing, trying to find many dogs," said Sylvia.

"We don't look for dogs, it's like the case that we're doing at the moment, the area has a bad history," said Dawn.
"You've got me there, why bother about the history of the area ?" asked Sylvia.
"You weren't told what sort of cases we do, were you ?"

"I thought you looked for missing people or dogs," said Sylvia.
"We are the Myth Investigators."
"WHAT !, your them, do you investigate real myths ?"
"Depends what you mean, but we've uncovered a few," said Dawn.
"So did Robin Hood really exist ?" asked Sylvia.

"Not sure, maybe he had a different name, might have come from a different area, might even be several others made into one," said Dawn.
"I always wanted to meet the team, is there any jobs going ?"
"Oh good, another clairvoyant," said Dawn.
"What do you mean another one ?"

"I do a bit of that, but you should already know that," said Dawn.
"I'd like to think I'm good, but I still need more experience," said Sylvia.
"Well maybe, I'll get Garet and Scherry."
"I'll get them for you," said Sylvia.

She went to get Garet, not knowing where to look for Scherry she went back straight away.

"What the !!, where did they come from ?"

Garet and Scherry entered the room. Garet looked at Sylvia then to the Goddesses Turee and T 'ara. He, Fred, Scherry and the Dawn's knelt to the Goddesses.

"Please, some-one tell me what going on here ?"
"She did say she wants to work with us," said a Dawn.
"That helps," said Scherry, she looked at every-one in the room, "ok Sylvia, welcome to the Myth Investigators, as of ten minutes ago you were one of us, now you will know who and what we are."

"The guided tour is the shallow end and the people are like the deep end ?"

"Actually there is no shallow end," said Garet.
"Sylvia, the coffee shop, musuem, the Myth Investigators, the farms, they are all a front for what really happens here."

"Look, I'm not sure what I can do to help you, so tell me. I got a glimpse of what goes on here, I'm sure there is a lot more," said Sylvia.
"There is a disturbance, I feel.hmm yes..., soon...., in the power hmm, yes," said the Goddess T 'ara."
"That explains where the Star Wars DVD went last night," said Fred.

"There's no easy way to say this, Hillhouse is the centre of the fight against evil, you're now a part of it. The researching I mentioned, it is about some demons. Tonight a few of the girls will go and begin the search, when they are found they will be destroyed, Scherry as the Goddess Medusera will contact the girls who are to go," said Dawn.

"Who is to go ?" asked Sylvia.
"Jill, Sue, Fiona, Sally and Leia, they will meet others there," said Scherry.

Felicity was sat in the drivers seat of the tractor, Christina was picking up the horse droppings.

"Come on, put your back into it or I'll take away that scoop," said Felicity.
"Look in the circle, some of the girls have come here," said Christina.
"They must be the ones that'll be watching for demons near here tonight, funny, I thought they'd be more of them," said Christina.

"There is more, somewhere, there's some of the Elite here with them, you go to the house and let Stephanie they've got here. I'll get them ready, for when they get taken to the other house."

After twenty minutes Stephanie arrived with the Land-Rover to take them to the other house.
A couple of hours later they went into the open country to watch for the demons.
In the morning as the warmth began to touch the land, the girls left their vantage points and discussed what they had seen. Fona had seen some

demons but they were collecting potatoes.
As Fiona said, it wasn't exactly what they were looking for. It was decided that they be followed. Christina was sent to the farmhouse to find out if anyone knew of them. Sue was asked to contact Curremy.

"Why should Curremy be contacted ?"
"These demons should be followed, without her being seen."
"So why shouldn't I do it ?" asked Sue.
"We need some-one who can be invisible," said Fiona.
"I can be invisible, why do you need Curremy ?" asked Sue.

"I didn't know you could be invisible," said Leia, " if you can do so, then follow them, but before you go, get some more of us here, just in case."

Sue went into the field with them. In the early afternoon a few of them left, Sue walked behind them. The demons followed a narrow pathway alongside a stream, then into a spinney. After a while the path stopped in front of a large tree. The demons walked straight through it. Sue was surprised when she walked straight through it as well. She followed them along a dark passage, it led to a well lit large cavern.

In the cavern was a stone circle. Sue looked at one of the demons she had been following.

"I know you," said Sue.

The demon looked in various directions, trying to see where the voice had come from. Then Sue materialised in front of him.

"Who are you ?" asked Sue
"I am You."
"No, your not, I am me......I remember this, your name is You."

Others came into the cavern, hearing the strange voice.

"Your right, but it has been a long time, what brings you here ?" asked You.
"We are trying to find some demons near here, we saw you, and I followed you, you are not the ones we are after though," said Sue.
"This is Who and Her, Sue. Those that you sought if they are like us what are they known as."

"I don't know," replied Sue.
"If it is near here it could be the senoth demons," said Who.
"Why do you call them senoth denons ?"
"That's the sound they make when they breathe."
"Sue, before, you said that others were with you, who are they ?" asked You,

"I'm with the demon hunters and the vampire slayers, they are near here."
"We have heard of them, we'd prefer to stay away from them. There is a couple of them at a farm near here," said You, "One of them was seen many years ago, Her and I were out walking and we saw her taken by an angel on a winged unicorn, there was a human who saw it as well, he saw us as

we heard what he told others and, well, I think us being there made him think he'd seen something else."
"The one that was taken, she would be very happy to hear that," said Sue.
"How do you know her ?, is she an immortal ?, what we saw was well over a hundred years ago."

"Some of them are older than that, and they are not immortal," said Sue.
"How is that possible ?" asked You.
"They live in the stones, when they aren't needed," said Sue.
"I think it was six years ago, You and I followed the senoth demons to a stone circle near the end of the land, we both felt the hunters nearby but we

never found them, did they stay in the stones ?" asked Her.
"How long did you look for them ?" asked Sue.
"Many times," replied You.
"You were very lucky not to have been seen then."
"That's a thought, the one that was with the angel, it is her that is in the stone that the sheep goes to," said Her.

"That's the one."
"That is what was meant," said Her.
"But you said that you keep away from them, so how did you talk to her ?"
"Not her, the sheep," said Her.
"You can talk to the animals ?" asked Sue.

"It isn't that surprising, a human lives for sixty years or so and they try to communicate with the animals. So far we have been alive for seven thousand years, we've had longer to learn, plus the humans have moved of the land and we have chosen to stay here, we can communicate with most animaks now," said Her.

"Can you talk with the horses at the farm ?" asked Sue.
"Yes, and they aren't horses, they are flying unicorns."
"The demon hunters, would you like to be friends with them ?" asked Sue.
"Yes," said You.
"I have called her to be here, the one you say was an angel."

A dome of pure white light filled the cavern.

"All in this room are my friends," said Sue, "You, Her, Who, this is the one you thought to be an angel, but she is Goddess Medusera. Goddess they saw you fly with Felicity and they know why Old Banjemin thought of the devil. Also because they are demons, they feared the demon hunters. And they know of the ones we seek," said Sue.

"The ones you seek are senoth demons, they are our enemies, we will show you where they stay. One thing does puzzle me, why do you treat them as enemies, it was their leader who made the stone-circles as transport."
"As you are willing to help, they are willing to kill, you will be our friends."

The cavern filled with a white light, then blue, then yellow, then the Generals of Byzantium apperaed with the General of the Elite.
From the circle came hunters and slayers.

"One day I'm going to get a sun tan," said Angel, "who are they ?"
"They are our friends, they are You, Who and Her," said Sue.
"These are with us, they're, She, Him, He, How, What, Do and Try," said You.
"No if, but and maybe," said Lizzie, desperately trying to control her laughter
"I think that Lizzie should be somewhere else right now," said Sue.

"The ones we are after, the senoth demons. But who are they ?" asked Angel.
"We are The We," said You, "but some know us as Thewe."
"I know this one, not U or You, it's ewe," exclaimed Lizzie.
"Will some-one please get her away from here ?"
"You need to learn encouragement Sue, ask Darla to get Hope here," said Fiona.

The Goddess Medusera sent Lizzie home immediately.

"Thank you Fiona, I wonder if I'll ever forget that"
"You, I am Faith. these senoth demons, do they have a leader?"
"He is the Senot of Circel."
"Yes I see, his name is an anagram," said Faith, "where are they."
"I will take you there, if that is what you want," said Her.

"It'll be safer if you point the way. Curremy, Sue if you'd go there then come back and tell us about the place."

Curreny and Sue went to the place, the senoths were all out, so Sue had a good look about. Three two storey buildings had been built around a courtyard, it was easy to defend but hard to attack, unless you were invisible.

"So Curremy, what do you think would be the best way to attack this place ?" asked Sue.
"That's one of the benefits of living here, I can leave that to some-one else."
"Do you like being on this world ?" asked Sue.
"Yes I've got many friends now. Before there was the two of us. Now there are lots more, if you opened up more you'd find the same.

Take your admirer, you keep him at arms length, I can see you like him and it's obvious that he likes you, yet you push him away."
"Who is that ?" asked Sue.
"You don't know, oh dear. I'll have a chat with Scherry, get you closer to him," said Curremy, "it's Garet."

Curremy called back that the place was empty, that now was a good time to set a trap.
When the senoth demons returned they saw the hunters and slayers relaxing on their balcony.

"We've decided to move in, so find somewhere else to live," said Angel.

Eighteen senoths ran up to the balcony, ten Elite appeared at the top of the stairs and force fed the senoths crossbow arrows. Sixteen senoths went to run out of the courtyard only to be faced with twenty Elite. The Elite made short work of them. The Senot of Circel stood his ground in the centre of the courtyard.

The Goddess Dawn appeared in the courtyard, a line of Elite emerged in front of her

"IYH CKO--RLUH AHP PONU THu OWSE HuEW CKA YME BI--FAWR THaaYu HuEW RH FeOAR THu GuuDe HEeR MI annd HEeR MI CKO--RLUH BanIsch THu EEViL, BanIsch Itu nOw, BanIsch Itu fOAR eVerrh. gohn nOw, gohn fOAR eVerrh."

"Welcome to the Gods of the winds, hear me now, hear my call. Gods of the east wind grant me your help. Gods of the south wind grant me your help. Gods of the west winds grant me your help. Gods of the north winds grant me your help."

I AM THE PROTECTOR, I NOW PROTECT.

The Goddess Dawn faced the Senot of Circel.

"You are not protected."

A thunderous roar echoed over the land as the dome of yellow light burst over the area. The Elite, their eyes blazing yellow strode seven paces from each corner of the courtyard, a yellow hue followed each of them. As they stopped the Gods of the winds took the hue's to be circling around the Senot,

faster and faster the hue's sped, suddenly rushing to the blue of the sky. Then it flew towards the earth, the sound grew, louder and louder. It smashed into the earth, an ear shattering explosion as of six rolls of thunder echoed into the distance, as they light faded back into the Elite, it could be seen that the Senot of Circel was no more.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 40

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 40 THEY, THE ILLYRII

"Who are these people ? where do they keep coming from ?" asked Caravel, "I will make those ones be as stone."

Caravel attacked the first two, she faced her friend Krait.

"I do not know, we've only just got here ?, why are they against us ?" asked Krait.
"There's another pebble coming at us, a bigger one," said Caravel.
"Should we go somewhere else, or keep fighting ?"
"We can't leave in the middle of a fight, it wouldn't be fair on them. Just because we're winning. Let's send them to where we came from," said Caravel
"I wish to do more, but your right," admitted Krait.

Krait raised her arm, tilted her head, focused. Once again time seemed to slow for every-one but them. Her pupils appeared to vibrate, then each split into two and most of her attackers disappeared.

"You had fun then, but why did you leave those few ?" asked Caravel.
"It gives you some enjoyment," said Krait smiling.

Caravel returned the smile, then looking at the few left, a third eye took form on her forehead, the remaining seven attackers vanished.

"Now they've all gone !"
"Yes, I did notice," said Krait.

A girl appeared next to them.

"I was watching the goats, now I'm here," said Fawn.
"Shall I send her back to where she came from ?" asked Krait.
"No, wait, I feel she is like those of our kind," said Caravel.
"Those blocks of stone, did you do them ?" asked Fawn.
"I did." said Caravel.
"Then you are of the Illyrii, you are the Krait and Caravel," exclaimed Fawn.

Krait and Caravel looked at each other, they were not used to being confused by others. Fawn looked at all the shells and bullets on the ground.

"What are they there for ?"
"That is what was thrown at us," said Krait.
"We stopped them from hitting us, why, do you know what they are ?"
"They are bullets and shells from guns and tanks, you don't know where you are, do you ?" asked Fawn.

"We're waiting for you to tell us," said Krait.
"This country is Australia, your in the middle of an army camp. This'll send shock waves around the world, we need to be somewhere else," said Fawn.
"How long would it take to get a message to the other side of the world ?"

"They may have the answer already, this time is different from that which you left. As you appeared in their army camp, you will be seen as the aggressors, I will make us be somewhere safe," said Fawn.
"Here are we now ?" asked Caravel.
"This belongs to an old friend, he will help you," said Fawn.

The four immortal hunters flew down to look at the scene, They jumped down from their charges.

"I can see where two were, but there are no marks leading to or from this place, wait there is anothers marks," said Diana.
"There are no marks around here," replied Julie.

Molly thought to Goddess Medusera.
'There are many bullets here, they have been fired but they didn't hit anything'
'Like they've been fired underwater ?' asked the Goddess.
'Yes, but we're on dry land' thought Molly.
'I remember this, it is like time stopped and they fell to the ground'

"We are being watched," said Julie, "we should go."

In a hut General Peters looked to Sgt Blesorkwik.

"What's on the photos."
"There's four of them, but what are they ?" asked General Peters.
"It's like they are almost invisible, they could be winged unicorns. Now I'm confused," said Sgt Blesorkwik.
"Why ?"

"When the first one's got here, we defended this place, then another appeared and all three of them vanished. Then these oh, I wonder if they flew here ? they seemed to be looking about. What they were wearing, those animals, aren't they the ones from Stonehenge, in Britain ?"

"They were demon hunters," said General Peters, "put this base on alert, I'll notify all other bases."

"Fawn, where are we," repeated Caravel.
"This area is known as Wales, the other side of the world from where we just were. It is quiet here, I know this place, you can rest now."
"Are there any more like you here ?" asked Krait.
"No, but if we are to stay here I will call them. There are many hundred of us," said Fawn.

"Your friend, he can help us ?" asked Caravel.
*21 "Yes, he is a good friend, his ancestors were of the first of the land of Illyria, he will want to help," said Fawn.
"Let us go to this person," said Krait, "is it far ?"
"It should be just over that rise," said Fawn.
"Then we shall walk. Tell us, why were we attacked ?" asked Caravel.

As they went to the farmhouse Fawn explained where they were, and when they were. She also told them of her friend Aaron.

"Will the ones that attacked us look for us ?" asked Krait.
"Them, and their friends but that can be dealt with. If you appear at different places, they will look in those areas, so just keep them busy," said Fawn.

As they walked over the crest of the rise Aaron's place could be seen.

"Those blocks of stone that I saw, there was but a few of them, yet there were piles of bullets. Was there more people ?" asked Fawn.
"Many more, we were outnumbered so we made them be back in our time, just before a big battle," said Krait.
"Oh dear, with those guns and the tanks, they could kill both the armies, that isn't what you want is it ?" asked Fawn.

"No, not really. Should I bring them back to their friends ?" asked Caravel, "I may have just answered myself."
"Put them back, they cannot hurt you now," said Fawn.
"Look, my friend Aaron is in the garden, I'll surprise him," said Fawn.

Fawn quietly crept up behind Aaron.

"Hello stranger !"
"Fawn, good grief, your, it's good to see you and, and, who are your friends, but come inside, have a drink," said Aaron.
"These are the first rulers of our country, they are Krait amd Caravel."
"How would they get here, why would they come here ?" asked Aaron.
"Guess they got bored of where they were," said Fawn.

"Fawn is right, we were bored of where we were. We wanted to go to somewhere that was quiet and peaceful," said Krait.
"Everytime we have found just the opposite, there is war everywhere, then we arrived in this time and just our luck it's in an army camp, we get attacked straight away. We were going to leave but then Fawn came to us," said Caravel.

"Yes, not the quietest of places. Well, I never thought that I'd see you, let alone invite both of you in for a drink. That's a thought ? why are you here ?"
"Looking for somewhere quiet, Aaron. That old air force base, is it still there."
"Yes Fawn, oh, you want to go there ? It is quiet there, the huts could do with cleaning, how many are there of you ?" asked Aaron.

"I'll call them all to be here," said Fawn.
"Ok, but you'll need a reason. I know, we'll put up some signs, pretend it's a religious place, 'The Floating Rest Religion'," said Aaron.
"Nothing to do with us floating on water, huh ?" asked Fawn.

"You can still do that ?" asked Caravel.
"I have taught the old ways," said Fawn.
"Can they use the third eye as well ?" asked Caravel.
"They can, as they are able to make their pupils split and turn others into blocks of stone," said Fawn.

"About having a quiet life."
"That's alright Aaron, I suggested they go to other army camps a long way from here, to keep them on their toes, and away from ours," said Fawn.

Unknown to Krait and Caravel their movements had been tracked by the immortal hunters, everytime they had gone to an army base they were 'followed'. Angel had set up in the staff room at Hillhouse again. As the Coffee Shop was doing so well it was decided that all its 'visitors' appear normal, Willow had been asked to stay away as

explaining the two Dawns as twins was one thing, but two Willows as well ?.
When Goddess Turee became as Turee she still took the form of Willow. Buffy, Faith and Angel were glad of the chance to wear normal clothes again although Faith wasn't impressed at all when Angel put on his Saturday Night Fever white suit. Faith and Wesley muttered something about Angel's inability to dance.

Angel placed two white boards at one end of the room and put the tables on the three other sides again. Buffy busied herself collecting data from the immortals. The Goddesses, now as the mortals Willow and Tara worked with Faith plotting the maps and the areas returned to, Dawn was trying to locate Caravel and Krait. Illyria walked to Tara, Angel saw the blue jeans and blue jumper.

"Ah Illyria can you.."
"And you knew it was me, how !?" asked Illyria.
"Oh really," sighed Angel, "blue jeans and jumper Illyria ?"
"Hey, what about me ?" said a voice from the corner.
"Sorry Blue."

Tara was browsing the telephone listings on the internet, looking for places that could house large numbers of people when she noticed a new listing. Molly was sent to that area. She had only been there half an hour when she noticed two people leaving a builging that was empty a few minutes earlier. Dawn was told to direct her focus on that area. The other immortals joined Molly, then Dawn got a positive fix on Krait and Caravel.

In the morning when Aaron awoke he went to the bedroom window to see what the weather was like, he then went to the end room and looked to the valley to see what the weather looked like there. Instead he saw several hundred armed figures on the side of the valley. He quickly rang Fawn and told her.

Twenty minutes later the two armies faced each other across the valley, the Illyrians slowly moved forward until all five hundred and ten could be seen. The hunters and slayers moved forward until five hundred and seventy one could be seen.

"This battle needs to be written, but who are they ?" asked Garet.

The Goddess Medusera looked at Garet.

"I don't know, I will go and ask them."

She moved down the hill, into the depths of the valley. Krait, Fawn and Caravel saw her, then did the same. When they met.

"You have an impressive army, yet you come here to surrender, why ?" asked Krait.
"I am not here to surrender, on of us wants to know who you are."
"I am Krait, this is Caravel and Fawn, we are of Illyria, our army is of Illyria."
"You are of Illyria ?, did you ever meet the Goddess Illyria ?"
"It was she who gave us our powers," said Caravel.

"The Goddess Illyria and I are as friends, I will ask her to be here," said the Goddess Turee.
"Where did you come from ?, how many more are there that can appear from nothing ?" asked Krait.
"There are many," said the Goddess Medusera.

The Goddess Illyria appeared.

"Caravel !, Krait !, I couldn't believe it when I heard you were here, it's so good to see you again."
"We journeyed through time, trying to find somewhere to be. But all we found was fighting. Now we have an army and we stand against those who oppress us. We stayed in this time, as we were attacked, then Fawn came to us."

"I came to this time to find another, my friend Baaliitus and I with our armies of millions could not defeat her, then I found these. Ten of them had defeated her, but when she returned some of these here allowed Baaliitus and I to end her."
"Did you say only ten of them ?" asked Krait.
"When the Goddesses Turee and T 'ara were as mortals, they with others who are not here."

"Illyria, the one who was our leader then, is here. She was only seen to die, before then as now, she is immortal, she is the General of the Elite," said Goddess T 'ara.
"Then will I meet her, will she be here ?" asked Illyria.
"She is always with both forms of Goddess Medusera. General of the Elite please be seen," said Goddess T 'ara.

"Goddess Illyria, it is good that we meet again," said Buffy.
"It is a shame that you are friends with them, but that voice, I do remember it, but not with this army though," said Caravel.
"The army was known as the armed forces of Coomb after one of us, she was Holly Marie."

"Yes, that's it, that was the voice of an invisible who came to get one of the dead. After a battle, we were going to honour the warrior," said Caravel.
"I remember who you mean," said Buffy, "Saffron."

Saffron emerged in front of them. Caravel and Krait seemed grateful to meet her again.

"If you did not come here to battle us, we would like to be friends with you Saffron," said Krait.
"We came here to stop you from attacking others," said Goddess Medusera.
"I would choose not to attack anyone, unless I am attacked first," replied Krait.
"Then if we laid down our weapons now," said Buffy.
"We will do the same," said Fawn.

"Caravel, Krait, call down your ten best, tell them to lay down their weapons and we will do the same. Let them be the ones to start a peace between us," said Goddess Medusera.

As ten of the Illyrians came down the hill Buffy and Saffron joined the Elite. In the valley, the Illyrians laid down their weapons. The Goddess Medusera called to the Elite.

"Half of you face the Illyrians, half face our forces and lay down your weapons."

The Elite, all seven hundred of them became visible and lay down their weapons, the slayers and the hunters followed them. The Goddess Medusera and Caravel shook hands.

"I am glad that we are now friends, you number many that we did not see," said Caravel.

Goddess Medusera looked to the skies.

"Riders be seen, we are now friends."

The light in the valley went as two thousand Riders on the winged white unicorns were to be seen in the skies. Goddess Medusera with Caravel Krait and Fawn walked to the ranks of the Illyrians. The Goddess looked around her, then her voiced boomed out.

"Armed Forces of Bouicandeni !, lay down your weapons !, come and greet your new friends !."

All the Illyrii faced around them as half a million of the Bouicandeni appeared around them.

"Your army is vast, it outnumbers us many times, you could easily have killed us all, yet you chose to be friends," said Krait.
"This is just a part of this army, the main army wasn't called," said Buffy, "and none of your people would have been killed. In the pockets of the Elite are hoods and ropes to disable your troops."
"Thank you, you really don't like to lose do you," said Caravel.

"I don't know, we've never lost," said Buffy.
"Even though we have agreed on peace, would you like us to be away from you ?" asked Krait.

"If you do not want to go back, there are choices. There is a hill not very far from here that covers an old fort, it used to be surrounded by water, it is known as the River Breue, the fort was originally called Atlan Dis Worto. The other place is hell," said Goddess Medusera, "that area is known as Glastonbury Tor these days."

"You want us to go to hell ?" asked Krait, "won't the residents be a bit upset ?"
"There are no residents, our armies went there and killed them all," said Goddess Medusera.
"You people really do want to be friends," said Caravel.
"There is seven two headed demons still there, but if you want to go there just tell us first, as one of us Sandra, she made friends with the demon."


*21
Illyria. Before Serbia was Yugoslavia, part of the land that borders on the Adriatic Sea was Illyria. Those that lived in the area were known as the Illyrii.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2 Ch 41 & 42

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 41 CAMBRIDGE CALLING

"This is Andy Sims, your Radio Cambridge phone line host, I'm waiting for you calls."
"Hello, my name is Gary Brions. Yesterday I was going to visit my parents, on my way there I saw a line of people all dressed in some sort of medieval battle dress, they were near a forest. Who are they ?, is a film being made there ?"

"Gary, this is Andy Sims, as far as I'm aware there isn't any films being made in or near the city. Where did you see them, how many of them was there ?"

"It was south of the city, Andy. Now, I've heard talk of the dead coming alive to help the living, but their clothing wasn't quite right, oh, and there was ten of them," said Gary.

"What are you on about Gary ?" asked Andy.
"Their uniform was brown, not green and brown and they wore two swords and a cross bow, not a bow and arrows," replied Gary.
"Ah yes, that sounds like Robin Hood."
"That's right Andy, and I know it's meant to be fiction, but maybe it's loosely based on something like this," said Gary.

"Hi there Andy, I saw three of those that Gary saw, but these were all girls. I was in the garden and I saw them in a forest," said Trish Bowman.

Through out the day, twenty six other people rang to say about the strange people that they had seen.

The next day.

"This is Andy Sims, your host for Radio Cambridge's phone line. Yesterday our segment started reports of women wearing ancient armour, during the day we had many other calls, so now there have been a hundred and twenty four sightings, any more ?. The lines are open."
"Those stories of Maid Marion being one of them, maybe she was their leader," said Erin Banks.

"I'm Marvin Grahams, I work for a hotel, we've had several bookings from journalists and a couple of TV stations."

"Hello ? am I on the air ? hello."
"Go ahead caller your on the air," said Andy Sims.
"I'm Susan Griffiths, those women you were talking about yesterday."
"Ok Susan, when did you see them and how many was there ?"

"You don't understand, I can see them now ! there's fifteen of them, I can see four groups of them, no, wait, there's more of them, they're chasing some-one.....he's coming this way, he........oh, oh no !. The thing they're chasing it isn't human !, their firing their cross bows, they've hit it !. What on earth are they ?"

At that moment in Hillhouse Totnes.

"Some-ones been a naughty girl," said Anne.
"Meaning what ?" asked Hope.
"Going out and not cleaning her clothes," said Anne.
"What are you implying ?" asked Hope.
"I'm not implying anything, I saw reports in the newspaper," said Anne.

"What do you mean by that ?" asked Scherry.
"As you know there have been reports of us in the national newspapers, the Cambridge paper said about all the journalists and camera crews going there."
"I've read about film stars who've flown into Heathrow, they were surprised that no-one was there to take their pictures."

"Yes, some-one told them that they'd have to go to Cambridge if they wanted they're photo taken," said Scherry.
"One of us girls was noticed coming from a forest and a photo was taken of her, it goes on to say before the picture was printed it was realised who she was, she was one of those from Stonehenge, known as a demon hunter, it is Hope !" said Anne.

"Not cleaning your uniform properly, huh," declared Scherry.
"It says here how the Robin Hood legend is linked with us now," said Anne.
"Er, Scherry, can you do me a favour ?" asked Hope.
"I should think so, what is it, clean your uniform for you ?"
"That picture of me, any chance of you getting a few more copies for me, I like that picture !" said Hope.

"Nothing like pushing your luck is there. So how is the hunt, do we know why there are so many demon there ?" asked Anne.
"We have a bigger problem thanks to Hope," said Scherry.
"We were noticed at Wadebridge, a few of us more photogenic ones were picked out at Stonehenge, but this could be to our advantage," said Hope.

"How could that be done ?" asked Scherry.
"Get some-one to wait for a journalist, lead him to our 'encampment', that way it might stop the demons from going out into the open," said Hope.
"Is there another problem Scherry ?" asked Anne.

"I was talking to Molly the other day, I was starting to feel tremors. She agreed with me, she had said to Diana and Saffron, they went to locate them, and hopefully what was causing the tremors," said Scherry.
"Have they come back yet ?" asked Anne.

"No, but Molly had spoken to Spike, Graeves, Westy and Wesley about her feelings, it was then that she said they were very agitated by them and Graeves suggested that Pitts be called back."
"So this could be a vampire thing ?" asked Anne.
"Yes, as the tremors are easily felt now, there could only be one cause."

"Who is it ?" asked Hope.
"It could be linked with June," said Scherry.

Hope and Anne looked at each other, they both shrugged their shoulders.

"Who is this June ?" asked Hope.
"The vampire that we thought was a victim of a vampire attack, the niece of Count Dracula."
"That is her name, I never knew that, we know anything else about her ?"
"We had a long chat together, we talked about when she was human, seems she was born in the year ten forty," said Scherry.

"Hear that Hope, there is some-one older than you," said Anne.
"Oh Anne, thanks for that," said Hope, as sarcastically as possible.
"Her real father was King Harold the second, on the day he was defeated in battle at the Battle of Hastings," said Scherry.
"What did people think of vampires back then ?" asked Anne.

"Some saw them as help, the more crueler Nobles used them to kill their enemies."
"But the name June, it doesn't sound like a princesses name," said Anne.
"She was born in the Juniper room, hence the name June," said Scherry.
"Ok, that aside, you contacted Pitts how ?" asked Hope.

"Blue and Jessica went for Pitts, it was Blue who suggested that we get June to help us," remarked Scherry.
"So June is with us ?"
"Goddess Darla and Pitts helped her, then she went to live with Carrisma and Paul near Stow-In-The-Wold."
"So what's the plan with them ?" asked Hope.

"We get Darla, Pitts, Blue, June and about twenty hunters to lead him to us," said Scherry.

In the main office of Hillhouse Garet was looking at ways of improving the look of the Coffee Shop's menu when the phone began to ring.

"I am one of The We, I need to speak to Sue, is she there ?"
"Not right now, does she know who you are ?" asked Garet.
"Yes, we met just before I told her how to find the Senot of Circel. I have news of the demons at Cambridge, I need to speak to her urgently."
"I'll tell her, what is it ?" asked Garet.

"They are new demons, created by humans," said You.
"That's enough, I'll get Sue onto it, my name is Garet."

Quickly Garet found Scherry, she told Curremy, who told Sue. Later Sue met with You, she told Curremy what she had been told.
Curremy went to be with Scherry.

"I don't think the demons at Cambridge were created intentionally."
"What makes you say that ?" asked Scherry.
"They're reaction when they were found, they were happy to see a welcoming face. These are new demons, one of them is being taught to read and write. Most of them don't know about the difference between good and bad," said Curremy.

"I thought that a demon is a demon. Contact The We, see if they can help us, these demons may need help," said Scherry.
"I'm glad you see it that way, these demons only sought others because they were hungry, they want help," said Curremy.
"So who is making them, and if they don't know what they are doing,how will we find them ?" asked Scherry.

"To follow every person in Cambridge for at least two weeks, that won't work
the only other way is to make an appearance, to come out of the closet so to speak," said Curremy.
"That was sort of mentioned before."
"Well Scherry, I have a idea, a surprise bonding for Sue and Garet, but it'll have to be soon," said Curremy.

"Why do you say that ?"
"Remember how I glowed when Westy and I got together, well, that was one of the downfalls of the women on our planet. If the feeling is suppressed for to long, it's like this, if Sue was to admit her feeling to Garet tomorrow she'd cause a ball of light five or six foot wide. If it's left for another six months she'd put shadows on the face of the sun !"

"Right then, we'll arrange something for them in Cambridge town centre, with the Elite. I'll organise for that BBC crew to be in the right place at the right time. If The We is helped, I'll do this," said Scherry.

"Jeff, I've just got to Glastonbury Tor, those reports were right, there's a light at the top of St Michael's Tower." said Tina Standish of the BBC.
"The light is actually at the top, a ball of light," replied Jeff.
"Oh crap, it just changed, it's a beam of light, it's at least a mile long."
"Is it straight ? where does it point to ?" asked Jeff.

"It points, hadn't thought of that, we're just getting a map, they're plotting it, bloody hell, it points to Stonehenge !"
"Get there Tina, just get some decent footage of that place first, let me know when you get to Stonehenge," said Jeff.

At Stonehenge.

"Hi Jeff, we've just got here and we are setting up right now, but there's nothing happening," said Tina.
"Try later, book yourselves into a hotel for the night, but be ready to spend the night at the stones," said Jeff.
"Oh good, I'm glad you said that, I do like these night vigils," replied Tina.
"Look at the bright side, you'll be able to use the stars for directions soon."

"That's a thought Jeff, the lights from before, they were in the morning, maybe these will be the same," said Tina.
"And if you miss the scoop of a lifetime ?" asked Jeff.
"Thanks for saying that, thanks a lot !"

At eight pm they got a taxi to the stone circle and began the vigil, sitting and waiting. At eight forty five Tina rang Jeff.

"Jeff !, thank god you answered, we've had several thunder claps here, there's no clouds in the sky and there's been no lightening, are you watching the feed ?"
"You got it, Tina, the circle, is that really a yellow light ?"
"Lovely isn't it ?, can you hear it ? it's like marching," said Tina.

"Get a close up of the circle Tina, those that are coming from the circle that's what they wore before."
"These two in front of us, you did see that, they just appeared not more than thirty foot in front of us. Now they're signalling to...I can't see what they're signalling to.....!"
"Tina the beams of light, get to the beams of light," said Jeff.

"The camera-man is running there......he just vanished !"
"It's ok, Tina, I've got pictures coming from inside the circle !"
"Oh crap, Jeff !, you know what this means !, they want us to know !"
"All the lights have gone, there's no sound," said Tina.
"Just find where the lights point," said Jeff.
"Um Jeff, it's the city of Cambridge !"

"Tina look to your left, one of them is there," said Jeff.
"You will tell no-one of this," said Goddess Medusera
"Was that a question or were you telling me ?" asked Tina.
"I have talked with the others, you will be shown where to go, you will be sent a message."

"Thank you," said Tina, "I'll get a typewriter, if you send a message some-one is bound to want to study the writing," said Tina.
"I don't think they'd admit to finding who she is, would you like to meet the one who'll send the message ?" asked Goddess Medusera.
"Now I'm intrigued," replied Tina.

The area was suddenly filled with a beautiful white light, as Tina grew accustomed to the dark again she saw a beautiful woman before her.
"Tina this is Darla."
"She, that glow, what was it ?"
"You saw the dome of light ?, I thought only certain people could see the light."

"I'm fairly sure most people see the light," said Tina, "but why do you glow like that ?"
"That is what happens when we are about to appear," said Goddess Darla.
"But why ?" askeed Tina.
"Maybe because its I'm a Goddess," said Darla.
"Your a Goddess !, wow," exclaimed Tina.

"Is she having a go at me ?"
"Tina, do you realise that my friend here is the Goddess Medusera."
"Two Goddesses !."
"That's better, you won't see us tomorrow at Cambridge, you won't be there, but we will meet the day after, there, you've just realised where you've seen me before," said Goddess Medusera.

Sue had been asked to watch the newsagents in the centre of Cambridge, she hadn't been told that the Elite were already there. The Goddess Curremy took Westy and Garet there, the Goddess Dawn had arranged to meet Karen, Jennifer and Daniel. They were to caste two lines across the road. The Elite became visible, then their numbers grew to three hundred.

Their General, Buffy watched for emergency vehicles, to stop them and warn them where not to look. Garet and Sue had been left alone, Curremy and Westy went into a shop.

"What is happening ?" asked Garet.
"I don't know, I'm just here to watch the newsagents," said Sue.
"Maybe there's some-one inside that involved with creating those demons."
"Good thinking Garet, but why have the Elite been brought here and why are they visible, there's something else. No-one is thinking to each other."

Then Sue heard Curremy thinking to her.

'Move to the centre of the road Sue, your too close to the buildings, this is for you and Garet.'
"Come with me Garet, just to the middle of the road," said Sue.
"Okay, but what going on Sue, is everything alright."

As Sue was about to reply she heard Curremy think to the Elite.

'It's starting, look away !'

Sue held Garet close

"What is it ?" asked Garet.

Sue looked into Garet's eyes.

"Not it Garet, us."
"You mean us, as in us ?" asked Garet, beginning to smile.
"Breath in deep, close and cover your eyes Garet."

Sue held him too her as the sound of air rushing around them, an intensively bright ball of light the width of the road burst into being.
The light slowly faded and there grew six beams of light into sky then towards a town in Warwickshire.
In a shop the assistant was approaching the couple when they disappeared.






THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS PART 2 CH 42

THE DEMON HUNTERS

CHAPTER 42 RETURN OF THE ILLYRII

Stephen Bertrand went to answer the door, he opened it and saw three women standing in the pouring rain.

"Can I help you," he said.
"I spoke to you once before, we all did. We will be arriving at just after eleven tomorrow morning," said Hope.
"I'm sorry, have we met before, I don't recognise you. I'm sorry, you'd better come in out of the rain," said Stephen.

"Thanks," said Faith.
"Now, about you remembering us, maybe we should change our clothes," said Buffy.
"Where are your other clothes ?" asked Stephen.
"We are wearing them," said Faith.
"Don't think so, not under those clothes."

"Maybe this will help you remember us," said Buffy.
"Your not wear......oh bloody...oh my god it's you, but, but"
"Stephen, at eleven tomorrow morning we will be at Kenilworth Castle, please have the roads closed," said Buffy.
"Um, sure I'll get right.....

But he was alone.
He rang the sergeant at the police station.

"Sarge, it's PC Bertrand I've just been visited by Faith, Buffy and Hope."
"Are they're names meant to mean something ?"
"They are the ones from Stonehenge !"
"Gotcha, right I know who you mean now, but why did they visit you ?"

"They said they will be at Kenilworth Castle at eleven tomorrow morning, they said they want the roads closed there," said Stephen.
"You leave it with me, I'll organise it, you get there. At least we've got an idea of what to expect this time."

At nine thirty in the morning the roads around the castle had been closed.
Tina was having a mug of coffee, chatting to the sound recordist and the camera-man when Buffy emerged near them.

"The Goddess Medusera has asked me to tell you that we will be arriving at twenty to eleven, can you let the police know."

Before Tina could answer, Buffy had vanished. Tina strolled over to a police road block and told them.

"Are you Tina ? I'm Stephen Bertrand, I was at Stonehenge, Faith wants us, she's waving us over."

They walked to where Faith was. As they got nearer Hope and Anne appeared.

"What is it Faith ?" asked Tina.
"We had to come early, we're starting to get reports of a possible attack."
"Who would attack you ?" asked Tina, beginning to laugh.
"The usual, vampires, other demons out for revenge, we don't know how many there will be though," said Faith.

"The people here, what will happen to them ?" asked Stephen.
"Didn't think there would be this many," said Faith.
"That's partly due to the road closed signs, they want to see what's happening. So what will happen to them."
"If they are in danger we'll send them well away from here," said Faith.

"You mean like a hundred miles from here ?" asked Tina.
"I think it's more likely to be a hundred years away Tina," said Stephen, "I've noticed one or two people acting differently in the crowd, are they with you Faith ?"
"Yes, just in case they are needed."

"So the warning you got, where did it come from ?" asked Tina.
"Ever heard of the legendary Count Dracula ?" asked Faith.
"Yeah of course."
"Well Tina, the other girl you met, Buffy. She killed him, the Counts son is who we are expecting and his niece gave us the warning," said Anne.

"Holy crap, June warned us ?" asked Hope.
"Why are you surprised ?" asked Stephen.
"In vampire terms June's father is the son of Dracula," said Anne.
"I think I agree with what Hope said," said Tina.
"What is that ?" asked Anne.
"Holy crap."

"She had been trying to find him in Cambridge," said Anne.
"A certain girl got herself in the papers there," said PC Bertrand, "some of the blokes at work had pictures of oh, er, um, er."
"Girls in one piece bikini's ?" asked Anne.
"Yeah, sorry, but they've all got Hope's picture now."

"Oh, fame at last," said Hope, happily.
"Faith, you said before that there was a few of you here, how many is that ?" asked Tina, "it's just that I can't see many."
"So Stephen, at Stonehenge, did most of us walk into sight or just appear from no-where ?" asked Faith.
"They appeared then.... what is it ? why did you just grab me ? Faith ?"

"COVER !!........SOUTH !!....," screamed Faith.

Buffy appeared.

"Faith, get Angel here, now !. Goddesses protect these humans."
"Is this the attack Buffy ?"

Hope looked at Buffy, Buffy returned the look but all trace of emotion had gone, she was now the General.
The Demon Hunters and Vampire Slayers appeared side by side at the southern edge of the castle. Soldiers and Infantry of the Armed Forces of Byzantium emerged behind them.

In the fields, lines of demons marched from the ground, thousands upon thousands of demons rose from the ground, charging to the lines of Byzantium.
The Riders took form in the skies they all fired three shots at the demons.

The lines of Byzantium began to move forward, they all fired two arrows from the cross bows then dropped them to hang at their sides, pulling the swords from the sheaths, they raised their swords ready for battle, then ran at the demons. As they ran they made small groups of four to attack the Senoth Demons. The girls were soon at full pace screaming as they ran, they

slashed at the bodies of the demons. The demons didn't stand a chance against the ferocity of the girls.
Another line of Soldiers appeared then walked forward, at the third pace a new line appeared, a mile wide, a thousand strong.

In the castle The Generals and the Goddesses directed the troops to the enemy, they were protected by the Elite.
Ghosts from a thousand years collected the used crossbow arrows placing them in piles behind the new lines, at every pile was a see-er, watcher or guardian. Fallen slayers and hunters appeared next to the piles of arrows

they were told of the present, they restored their quota of arrows, then they joined the new line and marched forward again, ready to replace the fallen.
Tables of food of the gods, mushrooms, mushroom juice, fruits from the corners of the earth appeared on the tables in the castle.

Trees fell, bushes were crushed under the weight of fallen hunters and slayers, even the green grass began to change colour as rivers of blood formed. Riders fired at the demons rising from the ground. The demons fell, the piles of arrows kept being replenished.

Three lines of immortal stepped forward ten pace then lay, knelt and stood, when it was safe they fired all the arrows, then the lines were replaced, hour after hour this continued, then they ran into the demons again.
Hope, Vi and Anne had just been restocked with arrows.

"Not bad, I've only died four times today," said Vi.
"Then it is our turn."

The three of them turned and saw Krait, Caravel and the lines of the Illyrii. Vi removed her cross bow and the arrows, she offered them to Krait.

"They won't be needed, but thanks," said Krait.

The Goddess Illyria joined them as they marched to the demons, the girls charged the demons offering protection to they Illyrii, they in turn began to make the demon into blocks of stone. Many time a sword was swung at a demon only for it to hit stone.

Lines of the Bouicandeni moved in to battle, two lines stayed to protect the Goddess as they made the statues disappear.
The Goddess Dawn was talking to Angel as the Elite vanished from the castle.

"Are we being attacked."

Angel looked to the air.

"No, they have joined the fight, the demons have stopped moving forward."

The demons turned as hunters, slayers and the Elite ran at them cutting the demons down as they ran. Caravel and Krait faced the Goddess T 'ara.

"We'll let you end this," said Caravel.
"Why, this may be the last fight for a long time. You turn the demons to stone, we'll make them disappear, but don't leave straight away as there will be a party afterwards," said Goddess Turee.

The humans were returned, Tina noted where she was.
From the stone-circle that had been built near the castle, two hundred vampires now poured, only to find that what they expected to see wasn't there, but Curremy's force field was there to stop them escaping. The Riders made sure that lots of dust was created. One stood by himself, pulling arrows from his chest.

"You cannot defeat me, I am to powerful for you," he laughed at them.
"Hello father, remember me ?" asked June.

Curremy allowed June to enter The six Goddesses moved next to June, the Elite then appeared in front of them. The Goddess Dawn allowed the yellow from her body to be on the tips of the arrows of the Elite, who fired at the son of Dracula, and he was no more. His ashes were placed in one of Medusera's photographs mixed with wood from the cross then buried in consecrated ground.

Tina and Stephen met Anne a bit later.

"We haven't seen Hope, where is she ?"
"The Senoth Demons got her, she will be one of them soon, she is with one of the Goddesses now."
"Why, you talk as though she is gone for good," said Goddess Medusera.
"But, I thought she would be," said Anne.
"As a hunter she would have been gone."

A unicorn flew down to Anne, she looked up and saw a hand reaching to her.

"As an immortal hunter, she can be brought back."

Anne looked at Goddess Medusera then at the hand, then she realised it was Hope.

"They're waithing for us !" said Hope.

Within the castle walls a bonding ceremony awaited Sue and Garet. The two girls slid of the unicorn and helped complete the archway with Faith and Buffy.

THE END

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 2

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 2

THE DEMON HUNTERS

SOME CHARACTERS FROM THE STORY & WHO - WHAT - WHY

ADRIN
A witch, from near the village of Tintagel, a friend of Suzy.
ALAN JENKINS
A neighbour of Nathaniel.
ALEX
A ghost hunter from the city of St. Albans. Moved to Hillhouse, Totnes.
AMY
From the village of Camelford, Cornwall. friend to Saffron.
ANDEROTH
A General of the Infantry of Bouicandeni.
ANDREA/ANTHEA
A demon hunter from the town of Totnes. Her uncle 'gave' her Hillhouse after he was sired. She is a Merry Maiden.
ANGEL
A General of the Armed Forces of Byzantium
ANNE
A demon hunter from Harpenden. Best friend's with Scherry. She moved to Paignton, South Devon. A Merry Maiden


BERNARD
A vampire
BETH
A vampire, she wasn't impressed with her death.
BLUE
The Blue Lady, a ghost who haunted Berry Pomeroy Castle, near Totnes. Thanks to the people at Hillhouse she learnt how to read and write, amazing what you can do when your dead.
BRENDA
A watcher
B U F F E
General of the Union Fighting Force, the Elite. Was chosen to be a human when she was known as Buffy.


CARAVEL
A ruler of the land of Illyria. It was the Goddess Illyria who gave her her powers.
CARL
A vampire, never saw the wonders of the devon country side, during the day
CARRISMA
A vampire, lives a secluded life. Is good friends with several humans and higher beings.
CAROLYN
Taunted by vampires, saved by the demon hunters Hope and Felicity.
CASSIE
A Vampire slayer, guards what was known as Sunnydale.
CLAIRE
A vampire slayer, guards the hole where the town of Sunnydale was.
CHARON
Ferried the new vampires into hell on the river Stayx where they would be tested, those who passed the tests became pure evil demonic vampires.
CHASER
Was a pupil at Totnes high school, she became a vigilante vampire hunter.
CHRISTINA
As a twelve year old she saw the demon hunters at Ipplepen church, she was rescued by them, she wished she could be one of them. Seven years later she was a waitress at Hillhouse, she met the demon hunter that saved her, a few minutes later she became one. A Merry Maiden.
CURREMY, THE GODDESS [pronounced Currumee]
From the planet Mercury. Her childhood friend sue is with her again. She bonded with Westy. [Curremy, is an anagram of Mercury]


DIANA
A demon hunter. She once had a friend who she enjoyed being with, she learnt about the various power points on the human body. One day she tried the wrong one on her friend. That was when she found out that her friend was a vampire, his name is Pitts. An immortal of the Merry Maidens.
DANI
Born and lived in Welshpool, Wales. Great friends with Leia, they went on holiday together to Torquay. They made friends with a couple from Manchester, on the way back home they stopped in Totnes to buy some last minute gifts, leaving their suitcases in the car. They bought the gifts then waited, unknown to them their new friends had had an accident in the car and died. They were befriended by two women, Darla and Amanda, that night the vampire Darla sired both of them. Now they are Merry Maidens.
DANIEL
A vampire taught how to be good by Darla. A witch of the Rollright.
DARLA, THE GODDESS
As a vampire she expelled the demon from within her, she helped six hundred or so vampires. Tested by the Gods when she sired Dani and Leia, she became the Goddess Darla. As a vampire she bought a farm near Tuckenhay, even then she was said to have the looks of a goddess.
DAVE JACKSON
A detective with the Totnes police
DAVINA
A demon hunter from the village of Crick, Northamptonshire, As a hotel worker she saw many vampires, the hotel's manager was concerned that so many people never paid their bills. A Merry Maiden.
DAWN
The unofficially adopted sister to Buffy. Originally not a human, but she wanted to be one. The Goddesses Turee and T 'ara helped her.
DAWN
Known as a wizard and a see-er, to some she was the Unicorn. She lived in Leamington Spa and Harpenden, once when a great sadness enveloped her she was helped by a Stephanie Honey, a nurse from St Albans hospital. If only Stephanie had known that Dawn was a Goddess.
DEMON WITH TWO HEADS
'He' that guards the building hell. 'He' saw Sandra as a friend.


EDWARD
Father of the demon hunter Christina
ELIZABETH
Usually known as Lizzie, she lives in Sittaford Tor, the daughter of Nathaniel and Stephanie. An animal lover, she made friends with what would one day be her charge, a flying unicorn.
EVELYN
A vampire, had her final stand in Totnes.


FAITH
A General of the Armed Forces of Byzantium. On her wedding day her husband, Angel, gave her a wedding ring with a beautiful green stone, known as the Ring of Amarra.
FAWN
A follower of the old ways of the land of Illyria.
FELICITY
A demon hunter from Sittaford Tor.
FIONA
Took a great interest in Warwick Castle, she then became a demon hunter and found out that her new history was even more interesting. A Merry Maiden.
FRED
Helped out in the Museum, she was May's replacement.


GARET
A ghost hunter from St Albans. Became a friend to higher beings. He bonded with Sue who is an immortal.
GERARD
Vampire, became a good vampire after being helped by Darla.
GILES
A chosen watcher to Buffy. Even after she returned to her position as General of the Elite, he felt embarrassed at having tried to teach her how to be a general. He did get to see her doppelganger and that doppelgangers doppelganger.
GLENDA
A see-er
GRAEVES
A vampire, see-er, head of the see-ers council. Born in Oxford.
GRAHAM
A chef at Hillhouse Totnes, thought he had a nice quiet job, oh well.
GREVOTH
A General of the Armed Forces of Bouicandeni.
GUNN
Working in the background, he was happy just to help.


HAROLD
Married to she who would be a demon hunter, Judith. But he wouldn't meet her until more than a hundred years after his death.
HOPE
Born in the year thirteen seventy one in north eastern France in the area that would be known as the city of Nancy.


ISMERELDA
A ghost of her former self.


JENNIFER
A witch of the Rollright, lives near Stow-In-The-Wold, a descendant of the real morris dancers. She knew the truth was out there, she never expected to be friends with the truth.
JESSICA ELEANOR PARKER, LADY
The ghost in the mist.
JUDITH
A demon hunter, married to Harold, she got to say goodbye to him recently.
She looks forward to having a drink and a dance with her friends each New Years Day.
JULIA
An immortal, a Merry Maiden, a demon hunter. Born in Bilton near Rugby.


KAREN
A witch from Stow-In-The-Wold, one of the Rollright witches, a descendant of a morris dancer.
KELLY
A demon hunter, guards where the town of Sunnydale once was.
KRAIT
A follower and friend of the Goddess Illyria.
KRA-NOY
A General of the Riders of Bouicandeni


LAWFORD, LADY
A vampire, she'd remember Totnes, if she hadn't ceased to exist there.
LAWFORD, LORD
Not a real lord, but he was before he became a vampire.
LEIA
Born in Welshpool, Wales. Her last trip while she was a human was with her friend Dani. Their real names were Ashleigh and Daphne but they preferred Leia and Dani. A Merry Maiden.


MARK
A researcher at Hillhouse, Totnes.
MAY
She worked in the Museum of Ancient Religious Artefacts and the Museum of Ancient Mythological Artefacts. Sent by 'him up there' to guard the amulet/pendant.
MEDUSERA, THE GODDESS / SCHERRY
Was once known by the name Medusa. The Goddess Medusera chose all who she called the girls. One day after bathing in a lake she was seen by a young girl. Her long wavy ringlets of hair appeared as snakes. Unfortunately, even though the young girl thought the woman to be very beautiful she told her father, the father told his friends, they told their friends. When the story had been retold a few more times, her hair was said to be snakes.
MOLLY
A demon hunter, a Merry Maiden, an immortal. Born in the village of Camelford in Cornwall. Was once thought to be a potential.


NATHANIEL
Married to Stephanie, father of Lizzie. I don't think he'll ever forget Sally sitting on his lap, then overhearing being told that Sally is a vampire as she was gently blowing on his neck.


PAN
The God, protector of the forests.
PITTS
A vampire. Became friends with the ghost hunters at St Albans. He was destined to be The Keeper of The Light. Westy was his Sire, an eternal.
RICHARD
A researcher based at Hillhouse, Totnes.
RUTH
She guards where the demon came out of the hellmouth.


SAFFRON
A demon hunter, a Merry Maiden, an immortal. Born near the river Stayx, Fathers name Charon, she was born as Scharon in the year XXXX [deemed as classified by the Goddess T 'ara]
SALLY
A natural vampire, created by natural causes. The DNA mix of a Mosquito, a tigress and a human.
SANDRA
A ghost hunter from the town of Kenilworth, she became a demon hunter, a Merry Maiden.
SERAJOSS [ name can be pronounced Sir Joss ]
A General of the Cavalry of Bouicandeni.
SIGMUND
Footman for Lord and Lady Swinton, died over a hundred years ago. A ghost.
SPIKE
Surprised by the other him, even more surprised to find he had an extra 'son'.
STEPHANIE
Mother of Lizzie.
STEPHEN BERTRAND
A policeman based in Winterbourne. Just one of many policemen throught-out the land, until Westy and Curremy's bonding, then when Sue and Garet were to be bonded, well.
SUE
An immortal, an empath of sorts as she didn't feel anothers emotions, she could copy anothers power. Adopted by Dawn's adopted parents as she was seen to be living rough, she was thought to be seventeen. Sue never said her age so it was guessed, close though, they were only sixty million years out. Sometimes affectionately called Sukie by Dawn, Sue was a childhood friend of the Goddess Curremy. Curremy's parents bought Sue a pet, what would be known as a Brontesaurus these days.
SUZY
A white witch from the village of Tintagel. One day she was told that the Goddess she worshipped wasn't the only one. Then she met other Goddesses.
SWINTON, LADY
She tried to get to London over a hundred years ago, but she was alive then.
SWINTON, LORD
As a human he had invested in the horseless carriage, just before he died.


TINA STANDISH
Part of an outside broadcast unit, she thought she had the scoop of the century, then the Bonding happened.
TOM
A ghost hunter from St Albans.
T 'ARA, THE GODDESS [pronounced Tee 'ara]
She likes the humans. When as a mortal she was known as Tara.
TRACIE
The mother of the demon hunter Christina.
TRUDI
Lives at a house at the edge of Teignmouth, thanks to Scherry, Blue and Pitts she met her late night visitor. He didn't realise that her father was dead but he became friends with her, the friend is known as the God Pan.
TUREE, THE GODDESS
Was once known as Willow although she wasn't. With another they would become another being, but you'll have to read 'When the evil came to work, rest and play'.


VI
A vampire slayer, a counsellor for the newly dead.


WESLEY
Impressed that people who had never met him as a human, even though he was a vampire, they saw him as a friend.
WESTY
A vampire, sired by Pitts, bonded with a Goddess.


ZANDOR
General of the Soldiers of Bouicandeni



WHO - WHAT - WHY



BOUICANDENI, THE ARMED FORCES OF
So named because of the help from the Tribes of the Iceni, those of Queen Boudicea. While they were travelling to a battle, several of the Iceni found a group of devil worshippers who had imprisoned two Goddesses. When the worshippers had been killed the Goddesses were released.
The B O U from the name of the queen. The I C A N from the name of the Tribes. Deni because it was seen as a fitting title.
The Armed Forces of Bouicandeni are the Special Forces of the Armed Forces of Byzantium.

CHARON
Charon is said to have ferried the undead into Hell on the River Stayx. With Scharon's help the Goddess T 'ara saved Charon. With Goddess T 'ara helped protect Scharon.

ELITE, THE
Said to be the Union Fighting Force, the special Forces of the Armed Forces of the Bouicandeni, who are the Special Forces of Byzantium.

KEEPER OF THE LIGHT, THE
Because Pitts answered Blue's call for help the prophecy was completed. Many times when a person has died and come back to life they mention about a tunnel with a light at its end.

SHADOW CASTER
Obtained by the Goddess Medusera, given to her by the General of the Elite. When asked to give further details about her friend she 'faked hearing problems'.

STONE-CIRCLES
There are several hundred stone circles spread throught-out Britain and Europe. Stonehenge has had many theories said of its reason for being, yet the Goddess Curremy and Westy have their own beliefs.
The Rollright stone-circle is south of Banbury, east south east of Stow-In-The-Wold and not far from the village of Long Compton, where it is thought many witches are said to have lived.

UNICORNS
Many people have written of their accounts of seeing unicorns, strangely enough I've yet to see an account of a winged unicorn. Most of the sightings are from Ethiopia and India, there is an account from Canada.
These sighting have been by Aristotle, Julius Ceasar, Apollonius, Sir Francis Galton, Felix Fabri, Genghis Khan.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 3 CH 43

The New Angel Investigations part 3 CH 43

OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

They'd each received a letter, a week prior, inviting them to
enrol for a fully subsidised course at Maidenscombe Manor.

As they entered what looked more like a stately home, they
were each directed to a large room by Graeves, Tom or Pitts.
When all the girls that were expected to be there at that time
had arrived, Scherry came into the room and moved to the end.

"Girls your attention please. You were all chosen to be here.
You will not be taught as you were in school, we are more
relaxed in our methods and many of the subjects are not normal.
Within every one of you, is what we need you to have, to be
what you will be. A bit later today you will learn what our
requirements are."

"Hm right, we have here, Anthea, Priscilla, Daphne, Ashleigh,
Shauna, Christine and Samantha. There's also Angela, Francine
Julia and Dana. I'd appreciate it if you would treat this house
with repect. You are all here to get the abilities we want you
to have. There will be no fighting of each other, if you are
caught fighting you will meet one of the govenors, who I'm sure
will not be happy to see you, Francine be careful," said Scherry.

"Your tutors for religious matters will be Vi and Pitts. Dawn will
present your history. Turee will give English, Anne will instruct
you in the various physical pursuits and Hope will take you for
weapons usage.

As for your battle tactics, your will be taught by the Generals of
the Armed Forces of Byzantium; Angel and Faith. We will also
have the expertise of the General of The Elite, of the Armed
Forces of Bouicandeni; Buffy. Darla will instruct you in the various
methods of repairing leather.

For the history of all that is here and phenomena you will have Sue.
Graeves or Giles will teach you the finer points of research and
Molly will take you for flying lessons," said Scherry.

"For the rest of the morning you should settle in to your rooms,
in the afternoon they're will be tours of this place, so familiarise your-
self with this place. If you do find any secret passages, don't tell
any one, they are called secret passages for a reason," said Tom.
"If you need help, please see Sue, Greaves or me," said Westy.

At just after ten thirty a taxi with Maude, Charity and Nanette
stopped outside the gate keepers lodge. Maude got out of the taxi
and went to the door, she was about to ring the doorbell when the
door opened, "I've been waiting for you three, I hope you've a good
reason for being late?" asked Tom.

He seemed to ignore them as he walked to an old wooden barn.
Presently he drove a horse drawn carriage up to them. Maude put their
suitcases on the back and got in with Nanette. Charity went and sat
next to Tom.

"So? why were you three late?" he asked.
"Nanette had a bit of a problem on the train, some bloke tried to give
her to much attention. I gave her the benefit of my assistance and
together the three of us persuaded him to get of at the next railway
station." "He was lucky the train was due to stop there."

"It wasn't, Nanette pressed the emergency stop, I opened the
carriage door then Nanette gave him a bit of assistance getting to
the platform Maude carried his briefcase, she used some of her
targeting techniques, and she is a ruddy good shot!. We made him
wish he could have curled up and died because Nanette called out,
'and don't touch me there again', and I mean flaming loudly, every

one on the train must have heard, then there was the people at
the station. The railway police came to see how Nanette was. A
few of them helped that bloke to their office but I don't think
they were to happy with him."

Scherry stood at the doors of the Manor waiting for them, when they
reached her she asked Tom what he thought.
"Maude and Nanette should be with Molly and Anne."
"Why do you say that? what is it with them?" "Just trust me, they'll
be right together," said Tom.
Scherry looked deep into his eyes, she gently smiled, beckoning the
girls inside, "So Charity should be with Hope?" "Yes," said Tom.

As the three of them walked into the hallway, Charity gasped at the
artwork on the wall, the normal landscapes were missing, instead there
were scenes of the stone circles of Stonehenge, the Rollright stones
and The Merry Maidens stone circle and the Grey Wethers twin circle.
But the biggest picture by far was of the Generals of Byzantium and
the General of the Elite.

Scherry led them to a vast room, covering the walls were rows and
rows of full book shelves, even between the wall height windows.
At one end, facing away from them were two high backed comfy
chairs. Two statuesque women rose from them, then came towards
them. They spoke to Scherry, "Tom said Maude and Nanette should be
with them did he? good choice, and Charity?" asked T'ara.

"Tom said Hope, and I agreed," said Scherry. "The name suggests her,
but there is also something about her."
"If you girls will stay here, I need to get the others," said Scherry.
"As you were a bit late there will need to be some catching up done.
All your questions will be answered, but right now I'd like you to look
at the books, decide which one you like the most then show it to me."

Charity was reading through the book titles, she found an old leather
bound copy of Wuthering Heights. Turning she stopped, in the room
were thirteen chairs. The two high backed were now nine chairs. She
crossed the room to where Nanette and Maude were looking at books.
"Has either of you seen what's in this room?"
"Mm, it's empty apart from those t........" Maude saw the chairs, "where
did they come from?"

Into the room came the other girls, T'ara,Scherry and some others sat
at the end, when the chairs were occupied, a woman moved forward.
"My name is Dawn. Scherry? who is to be first?" Scherry pointed at
Charity. "Charity, you'll be first, come here, face the others and kneel."

Charity did as she was directed, she felt two pairs of hands on her head
suddenly her whole body felt alive, she didn't hear the screams or the
gasps from the others, she never saw the wide eyed stares. Charity's
eyes were closed, yet she saw her all her new history.
She felt herself being lifted up to be on her feet.

"Charity is now a vampire slayer, Charity if ever you feel you need help,
think of Hope and she will be with you. Now think of her," said Dawn.
Charity thought of Hope and she was there, in her Battle-Dress. Hope
gazed to the floor then to Dawn, but it was as though she was listening.

"That picture in the hall, you are wearing the same as them!" exclaimed
Samantha. "Samantha, Hope is an immortal demon hunter, one of the
Merry Maidens and a Rider of Bouicandeni. Charity is a vampire slayer.
Maude and Nanette will be vampire slayers, the rest of you will be
demon hunters."

One by one their ranks grew, until they were all what was wanted of
them, together they stood, side by side, hunters and slayers.
"Now we will show you who we are," said Dawn.
All the girls knew to kneel as the Goddesses took form. When the light
faded and the girls stood three two Generals Angel, Faith and Buffy
came to greet them.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 3 CH 43

The New Angel Investigations part 3 CH 43

OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

MAIDENSCOMBE MANOR pt 2

"Also here are Graeves and Pitts, Graeves is a vampire. Pitts was
a vampire, until his destiny was realised. Now he is a Keeper of
The Light, an eternal. Anne, Molly, Julia, Diana, Saffron and Hope
are Immortals."

Through the afternoon the girls received their new destiny's. The
words that Scherry spoke earlier, now had a new meaning. The girls
were all formally introduced to the teachers.
Scherry suggested that they all go for a walk in the grounds. Hope,
Anne, and Charity went towards the fields of flowers.
It was Charity who first noticed the woman collecting some flowers
at the other end of the field. As they got closer to her they saw
she looked as though she was of Jamaican descent.

"Hope? what should we do? do we talk to her? or wait for the
others to get here?" asked Charity. As Hope moved forward,
Anne called after her, "Hope, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to ask her what her name is, tell her mine, say hello."
Hope walked to the woman. "Hi, I'm Hope, who are you?"
"I wondered about you and your friends, it's nice to meet you, my
name is Siranan."

"Different name, it isn't one I've heard before, do you know that
you are in the grounds of Maidenscombe Manor?"
When the rest of them stood next to them Molly asked Hope.
"You didn't ask her how old she is did you?"
"No, but I might as well now, Molly here wants to know how old
you are." "I'm not sure," answered Siranan, "I can't remember."

"I'd say she looks as though she is about thirty five," said Anne.
Charity looked at her, "Why don't you come back with us."
Siranan looked at them, "If that is alright with the rest of you."
As they walked back, Hope said who they were. "What happens
when we get to the Manor? with Siranan?" asked Charity.

"Not sure, who are you Siranan, what are you here for?" asked Hope
"I was collecting some flowers, I want to give them to my daughter,
I think she is here."
"That makes it easier, we just need to find out who it is," said Anne
As they opened the doors of the Manor Molly saw Giles.

"Oh Giles, we could do with your help, we've just met this woman,
she said her daughters here."
"Ok Molly, what is her name?" "She said it's Siranan."
"Siranan! why do you need me to tell you?" asked Giles.
"Because we don't know," said Charity.

"You really do need the lessons," said Giles, "Siranan is the name of
the woman who is the mother of Siranaya."
Graeves entered the hall, he saw Giles was the centre of attention
and was about to leave when Giles called him over. Giles told him who
the woman is. "So the legend is true! she is the mother of Siranaya."

"That is the name I gave her, but she said she was Turee, she is here
isn't she? can I see her?"
"I don't think hell freezing over would stop her," replied Giles.
"It was Hope who first came to me, Hope has done wrong in her past
but she has changed, she is worthy of being a friend now."

"Thanks, but do you really mean?" "With your family feud."
"But that was over six hundred years ago," said Hope.
"Just a minute, I need to check a few facts, he went into the room of
books. As he opened the door he noticed Dani, she appeared to look
behind him. "What is it Dani?" he asked.

"Charity is behind you." Turning, "What is it Charity?"
"Back there, something you said to Siranan, her reply was, well I felt
a bit curious I suppose." "What was it, Charity?"
"Siranan said about the name Siranaya, then she said about Siranaya
calling herself Turee. I felt something, but I don't know what."

"I'll say this, according to legend Siranaya is said to be the earth
mother of the first, that was probably a virgin birth, one of the
things I need to check the books for."

At Hillhouse, early the following morning.
"Hello, what can I do for you?" asked Garet.
"I came to see Fred, is she here?" "She's in the museum Giles."
"I'll tell you first, something has come up, I think I'll be spending
a lot more time there. I was going to ask Fred to take over from
me, Graeves feels the same, and get her to do the bookshop."

A bit later, Graeves was sorting through the collection of crystals
making sure the description cards were correct.
"Oh I thought you were leaving us," said Graeves.
"That was the intention, or was wanted to, but as the good times
are ahead I thought I'd stay, besides, I didn't want you to forget
me," said May. "I'm sorry," said Graeves, "what's your name?"

"Oh very funny." "Looks like your going to do what I was about to
do," said Fred. Graeves looks about. "The road sign," said Fred.
"Giles has said about you taking over here Fred?"
"Yes, he did." "And you are alright with that?" "Yes."

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 3 Ch 44

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 3

OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

CHAPTER 44 MYRDDIN'S SECRET

Sitting on the grass, in the gardens at Hillhouse, Christina
reminisced about the good days of last year, when she was a
waitress at the Coffee Shop. One of the Generals of Byzantium,
Faith, said. "I spent to long under-cover, no one wants to hear
about my good times on the playstation."
"Oh I don't know dear," said Angel, "if you'd beaten that crazy
bandicoot, Illyria would want to hear all about it."

"True, but most of my recent memories are of when I had to be
horrible to those I liked, just to keep under the radar, now I have
to listen to other people's good memories."
"Is that why you spend so much time here," said Angel.

Christina recollected when she spilt the Thick Chicken and
Minestrone soup into a womans handbag, she was about to laugh,
then she realised that she hadn't told that one to Garet, she did
notice that he wasn't to impressed with her disclosure.

Dani sat near the stone circle at the back of Hillhouse, her
memories were of her home town and the places she used to go.
Her tales brought a temporary lift to Leia. Pitts, Graeves and Blue
contemplated the lovely views from Hillhouse. In the main office
Mark ended a phone call, Karen had just rung, she had seen some
thing rising, getting close to the surface some thing old and evil.
He pressed the button for Maidenscombe Manor.

Like most Sundays the car parks in the town of Banbury were
nearly full. The Sunday drivers were busy doing their normal thing of
the window shopping exercises, looking at the highly polished
ornate vases with the freshly cut flowers. Banbury cross suddenly
exploded into a thousand fragments, cars on the road crashed, the
occupants dead. Shops, houses were all peppered with the small
fragments of hot stone, within a moment the once busy square now
only resounded to the alarms from the cars and the shops.

The dead lay all around, some of them still held on to their dogs
leash even though the dog was dead. Glass littered the pathways
Cars were strewn along the road side. The only things that moved
were the unnoticed security camera's and where the once famous
cross once stood resplendent in its glory, now stood a normal
looking nineteen year old girl, normal apart from skin like stone, the
glistening wings, and the icy stare of the red eyes.

Almost panicking Karen rang Mark, telling him to inform the others
quickly, the evil had risen. Scherry overheard, she rushed a message
to Curremy.
"Where are we?" asked Hope, as hunters and slayers began to
appear near her. All the Goddesses appeared.
"It has gone," said the Goddess T'ara. "Where has what gone?"
asked Anne. As more of their forces arrived.

"Goddesses Medusera, Curremy Darla, Dawn. Take Anne, Hope,
Charity, Maude and Nanette to the Truck, I will send four others,"
said the Goddess T'ara. Turning to Goddess Turee, "We need to get
the Armed Forces to Edge Hill again."

The Goddesses appeared on a quiet road with five others, Giles and
Pitts followed them, then the Generals Faith and Buffy.
"Where are we?" asked Faith.
"Near Leek Wootton, we're waiting for a ghost truck," said Goddess
Medusera, "the devil was said to be heading this way before."
"What do you mean, before?"
"A battle was fought in the sky above Edge Hill in sixteen forty two,
between the devil forces and ours, we believe that the devil was
coming here, to this ghost truck."

"This truck is infamous, it is said to have always been here in many
forms, but it has always killed people,it is said to drive straight at
you then a split second before it hits it disappears," said Goddess
Dawn.
"So if you create another ghost truck, with me in it, when the
ghost truck appears, our truck then goes backwards in a circle, a
hunter is put with he who drives the truck, and then we'll know
about it," said Pitts.

The Goddess Medusera saw the value of what Pitts had said, she
created a ghost truck putting Pitts in it, "now all we need is for the
other ghost to appear."
"What, that one?" asked Charity.
As the ghost vehicle bore down on Pitts, 'his' truck began to reverse,
passing through trees, bushes and the undergrowth the two trucks
kept an equal distance, as they passed the group Faith was put as
a passenger in the truck. Its driver looked at Faith and slowed.
Stopping by the rest of them, Buffy opened the door asking the driver
who he was. "I am Epimetheus."

"Why do you kill people?" asked Buffy.
"I do not kill people, I only kill the evil, I protect what can be found
from this truck. That is why I came after him, he is, oh, he was a
vampire but he isn't now? why are you here?"
"The leader of the evil may be trying to get to you, we want to
know why, and to stop her," said Pitts.
"What I carry can only be used for good." "What is it?" asked Hope.

"It is the knowledge of where Pandora's Box is," said Epimetheus.
"Why have you got it?" asked Faith.
"My brother, Prometheus stole the secret of fire from Zeus. Revenge
was sought against my brother and a box with the evils and hope
were sent in a box to my brother, and they were carried by a
beautiful woman, she wanted to see what was in the box, so she
opened the box. Seeing the evil she closed the box quickly,

unfortunately all the evil escaped but only part of the hope. Pandora
vanished, Zeus seeing what had happened but still wanting revenge
cursed me to save the box from the evil, forever. So I have always
been the hopes protector, from the evil. At first I tried not to sleep,
now I do cannot sleep," said Epimetheus.

"We want to help you, where is the box and who can open it?" asked
Charity.
"The person that protects the box is now Myrddin, he and the box
are protected by another." "Who is this Myrddin?" asked Hope.
"I know him and where to find him," said Goddess Medusera.
"You know him?" asked Charity.

"Yes, I've met him and we are friends. I know the other as well, you
may have heard of her sister, Lady Guenivere."
"What?"
"The one that protects Myrddin has the sword Excalibur, she is
Guen the Vampire Slayer... that's a thought, the part of England
where they are is known as The Devil's Country."
"And Guen she was sent by Zeus himself a thousand years ago."

"Then who is Myrddin? I don't know that name?" asked Charity.
"He is better known as Merlin."
"Then they are at Tintagel, can we go there?" said Charity.
"Can I be with you?" asked Epimetheus.

The truck was left on the shore by the entrance to Merlins cave.
"Unless they've got a boat, your truck'll be safe there," said Anne.
They all began to walk into the cave, for hours they walked.
"Why couldn't you make us appear in Merlins Cave?" asked Charity.
"Simple really, if the evil follows us they will have to walk here as
well and that may give us a bit more time."

Eventually they entered a large cavern.
"Girls, what can you see in here?" asked Goddess Darla.
"Towards the other end, near the side there is a series of six
stalactites," said Buffy.
They all went to them, Anne and Nanette made a small fire, so that
Epimetheus could see, what they could.

"I don't think these stalactites are natural, I can't find where the
join is," declared Charity, "if they aren't natural, they are columns."
"If they are, then the columns could be supporting something else,"
said Buffy, "holding something up, I wonder. This might not be
Merlin's cave, it may be up there. Is anything on the columns?"

"There's a couple of marks on this one, at the base of it," said Anne.
"And this one, what's on your's anne?" "The letters R, I."
"On this one it's S, E, T." "The next one has O, N, E," said Hope.
"This one only has W," said Charity.
"And I've got T, I, M, E," added Faith.
"So we put them together then make them as words," said Anne.
"Ok, R, I, S, E, T, O, N, E, W, T, I, M, E. As words that could be,
'rise to new time'," said Charity.

"That may mean that to get up there we'd need to rise, and if we
do get up there, a new time could be if Pandora's box is opened."
"That all ok, but I don't think any one else has noticed it yet, these
columns don't reach the top," said Pitts.
"If they don't reach the top, can they be moved?" asked Anne.
"This one moves, oh, it moved but a quarter of a turn," said Faith.
"This one does the same," said Buffy. Fairly soon all the columns had
been turned.

Slowly a large rock slid back into the wall revealing a cave above
them. Quickly they rose to the new time. Buffy stepped forward but
Faith held her arm. "What is that?"
In the middle of the room, on a boulder was a box, Buffy faced Faith.
"Pandora's Box?"

"It is said that the box can only be opened by the devil and Pandora,
it's just a thought but I was touching Pandora when the box was
opened," said Epimetheus.
Buffy saw a figure in the dark, "Guen?"
The figure moved forward.
"Guen Hello, it's good to see you again," said Goddess Medusera.

As Guen moved to them the sword hummed as it sliced through the
air, Guen looked at Goddess Medusera, then knelt to her.
"Why are you here?" "We come with Epimetheus, to release the
rest of hope," said Goddess Medusera.
"Before we open the box, it is only hope that's in the box isn't it?"
"According to legend, it is the bigger part of hope that is in the
box," said Anne, "who here has the most hope?"

They looked at each other.
"It is Epimetheus who has the most hope he would hope for sleep,"
said Pitts, "that works and he was touching Pandora when the box
was last opened, that being so he may well be the one that has
the hope in him, if that is so then the hope could be with itself again."

"What I'm not clear about is this, if this world has hope in it why
has the evil been able to try to win?"
"The evil that is, is because the hope is small enough to allow for
doubt. Should all of hope be together then the evil will slowly cease
to be."

"There is a floor in that, if all the hope is in Epimetheus, how will it
help the world?" asked Charity.
Epimetheus smiled to the Goddesses, opened the box, then fell to
the floor. "What just happened?" asked Anne.

"Epimetheus hoped for the sleep he missed. When he opened the box
all of hope was together, so he could sleep, a permanent sleep. As
he died the hope was released into the world. The end of the evil
has begun, the sense, that which is the non-corporeal of evil will
cease to be," said the Goddess Medusera.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 3 Ch 45

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS part 3 CH 45

OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY pt 1 of 3

17th July 2006
At an old house on the outskirts of Braunston, a wishing
well was being built at Patricia's and Gareth's house.
Andrew and Gary were digging the hole, while Dave was
on the surface, keeping them supplied with the equipment
and resources to do the job. He noticed that in the last
bucket of earth to come up there were several fragments

of prepared wood. "Andrew, there's something wooden
down there, what is it?" "I'll watch out for it."
After a few minutes.
"Hey Dave, this thing looks like the end of a coffin!"
"What! but your almost twelve foot down, why here?"
"Beats me, the other thing, why is it upright? wait

a minute while we get this thing ready to bring up. "
"You do that Andrew, I'll get the police to come here,
just in case their needed," said Dave.
Andrew and Gary carefully dug around the coffin and
then with Dave's help they took it to the surface.
Once there they sat and waited for the police to arrive.

They stood up when they heard cars in the driveway.
"Did you call for us?" asked Det. Philips. "That was me."
"Good, I'm Detective Philips, this is Detective Brown, our
police chaplain Sergeant Addams and PC Stevens."
"This here's the offending item, we thought it best to
wait until you got here, before it was opened," said Dave.

Det. Philips and Sgt. Addams looked the coffin over,
then opened it. Inside the wooden coffin was a metal
coffin with a smaller metal box next to it. Sgt. Addams
opened it. Inside was a heavy old book that was bound
by many crosses, embroidered on the front of the book
was, 'Here lie the secrets of four humanoid leeches'.

Sgt. Addams was about to open the book when he
noticed a scroll next to it, he unrolled it, then read it.
"Today is dated July the 16th 1438. Here lies the body
of the beloved Bishop of Coventry. Buried upright
the earth around the coffin was blessed by the Lord's
people. He was buried twelve feet deep in the hope his

coffin is never found and that those in the book are
never released. Those four creatures, the humanoid
leeches seem to live by sucking the blood from their
victims, they are impervious to mankinds weapons of
war, yet they fear the holy cross, they burn when
touched with water that has been blessed. Six others

of their kind were killed with water used to baptise
babies. It is unknown from where they come from,
if Hell does exist then that is where they have come
from. I hope they have gone, I hope this is never
read, I hope we have done enough to stop them from
returning, for if they return may the Lord give you the
strength not to endure what we have endured.

18th October 2007

Detective Petra Rivers was reading a file about the latest
victim of a murder, and he was just the latest. She was
trying to find a link, or a reason. All she found were the
same three puncture marks where a syringe had been used
to drain his blood, both wrists and his neck. His body was
found in a river with all his ID, he even had money on him.

She went to see her boss, Det. Incpector R Jeffries.
"There's another one, that's thirty eight confirmed dead
and fourteen still missing, I need more help," said Petra.
"Come with me, this is too many for a serial killer though."
In the next room he asked for the remaining Detectives
too stop what they were doing and do Petra's case.

"I've just had a report come on to my desk, It's about
something found in Braunston, near Daventry," said
Det. Roberts, "here it is, a coffin was found there on
the 17th of July last year, oh, this is about leeches."
"Well that fits," said Petra.
"What? how could leeches fit?"

"All these bodies had their blood drained," replied Petra.
"The letter also says, the body was of the Bishop of
Coventry, it was dated the 14th of July 1438 and the,
huh? the ones in the book were humanoid leeches,
that means vampires to me," said Det. Roberts.
"Think I'll call them humanoid leeches not vampires."

Det. Mike Richardson spoke up, "Just finished the case
I was on, about what you just heard. Well, as some of
you know I've been writing a book about the colourful
religious beliefs in Warwickshire. Not far from Braunston,
to the north about a mile, there's a hill, Hobshill Nest.
Hob is an old English word for the devil, as in hobgoblin."

"I don't like where this is going but, Petra I'll want you
and Mike to go there tomorrow," said Det. Insp. Jeffries.
In the morning Mike and Petra were driving towards the
village of Braunston, then they ventured in the country
roads to Hill Farm. Going on foot Petra, followed Mike to
Hobshill. "What are we looking for?" she asked.

"Here it is, not so much of a hill than a mound, but what
we should be looking for are the evidence of people being
here," said Mike. For an hour they wandered around.
Petra sat on a log "I need some exercise." "Me to, did
you find anything?" "Only horse tracks," replied Petra.
"Show me," said Mike. They went to see the tracks.

"Oh dear, I take it you were raised in a city?" asked Mike.
"Born and bred," said Petra proudly, "why?"
"These aren't horse tracks, from the look of them there's
no shoes either, that coupled with the fact that the
farmer doesn't keep horses. Considering where we are
these could be a trail of a devil."

"The devil?" asked Petra.
"No, not the devil, but they could be of a devil," said Mike.
"What's the difference?" "The devil's prints would be burnt
into the earth, these aren't. So a devil, come on back to
the station." When they got back their boss was waiting.
"I rang New Scotland Yard, to tell them what we had,

they rang back after about half an hour, they said a
Detective Dave Jackson would be in the pub in Dunchurch.
They say he's got contacts who can help us, so Petra
go and see him tomorrow."
It was just after nine that Petra knocked on the door.
As the door opened she said, "I've been told to come

here for a Detective Jackson, I'm Detective Rivers."
"Good, I'm Dave Jackson from the Totnes police
these are Charity, Scherry, Hope, Faith and Garet.
This is Buffy."
"Why are they here?" asked Petra.
"I was told about the case your on, these people can

help you, they've had many battles with vampires."
"Do you know where they are, how many?" asked Faith.
"Uh, no,"said Petra.
"You'll know soon, these people can tell you and they'll
get rid of them for you."
"How? why?"

"Ever heard of the terms Demon Hunters or Vampires
Slayers?" asked Dave.
"In films maybe."
"Well, Hope is a demon hunter, Charity is a vampire slayer."
Petra turned to them, "I thought they were just names
from some-ones imagination," said Petra.

"Then these will be beyond that imagination, Scherry is
the human part of the Goddess Medusera, Faith is a
General of the Armed Forces of Byzantium, Buffy is the
General of the Elite. They all fight against evil."
"No!, no, they can't be real."
"But vampires, or humanoid leeches can?" asked Buffy.

"Yeah, okay, you got me there. Is there any more of you?"
"There is many more of them, but like the stories of them,
they never stop," said Det. Jackson.
"So what do I do to stop them?" asked Petra.
"You don't, find them if you must but leave us to battle
them. We'll tell you where not to go and when to look

away. When you do need to contact us, please ring
Det. Jackson. Petra was about to ask them where
they would be staying, but she was alone.

The police chaplain was sat at his desk, when a letter
was handed to him. Four theologians were about to
visit a bookshop owner. The letter was from a church
leader he knew. He took the letter to Det. Insp. Jeffries.
"I may need some time of soon." and he explained why.
"So who are these people?" asked Det. Insp. Jeffries.

"The letter says; Larry was in Oxford, he used to look at
the old writings, trying to find when the Lord was to
return. It says he found a parchment, Refiluc 15: Then
as they were before, they will be made anew, then they
will reurn. Ian lived in Birmingham, he saw the good in all
mankind, until he research Santa. One of his paths led

him to the parchment that said of an evil one who sought
to clean his sins of the year his name has the same
letters as Santa but he is Satan.
Fiona's life has been quieter, she was in a convent
where no talking is allowed, she also sought to help
others from the written words.

Then their is Evette, she has travelled the country
trying to find hidden meanings of words and letters, so
that she can explain the scriptures, now they all seem
to find that which helps none, they have been sent to
see Allan, he is known to the church, he can help them."
As the four of the arrived in Leamington, news of a body

being found in the River Leam was in the papers. When
they got to Allans shop they were pleased to see he was
prepared for them. He had bought the day's newspapers
and put them on a table, so that they could see the rest
of the world was in a bigger mess than they were. But
the stories they picked out were about the six volcano's

that spewed lava onto the land, burning people's flesh
but not doing any other damage to them. Of the strong
winds that flattened a town, of the lightening that struck
six people and caused such ill's as never seen before.
The earthquakes that levelled everything, the six babies
born to virgins. Evette looked in the hidden texts for a

meaning of the births, but as Allan had told them only try
to find the truth.
It was Fiona who saw what lay on the surface, she gave
them a new direction to look and fear, the volcano's,
the lightening, the births all had something
in common; 6, 6, 6.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investigations Part 3 Ch 45

The New Angel Investigations part 3 CH 45

OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY pts 2 and 3

At a church in the town of Leamington Spa, nuns ran about
closing all the windows, the choir boys rushed to make sure
the doors were closed, three of them ran to the front doors,
then outside.
"Quick get these people inside," called Anthony.
"David, see if she wants to go in, I'll see to these people."

"On it Gareth," replied David, "excuse me miss do you want
to come inside, away from that sound?"
"Thanks, what is it? a flying dragon?"
Inside the church Suzette looked around, high roof, stone
walls, nice enough windows, "they've tried to make it look
nice, what with the flowers," she said to herself.

"Can I help you miss?"
"Thanks, I'd like to see a Father Bryant."
"I'll get him for you," said Father Lucas, "if you'd sit on the
front pew after filling out the register."
Suzette signed her name, went to where she was asked to.
"Excuse me, I was told that you wanted to speak to me, I'm

Father Bryant."
"Hi, you were recommended, nice place you work in, your
lucky," said Suzette.
"Excuse me? I don't work here, this is a calling."
"Hey, sorry, don't get me wrong. It's just that well, this is
God's house. He didn't ask you to be here it was your church

leaders who told you to be here. So you are here at their
request not Gods, so you work here."
"This place where I am, this is the Lords house, this is where
people come to speak to, to offer their thoughts and praise
to God," said Father Bryant.
"I'm sure they do and you've made the place look really nice

for them, nice pictures on the windows, nice atmosphere."
"Do you belive in God?" asked Father Bryant.
"Oh yes, I know that God exists," replied Suzette.
"Glad about that, I was beginning to doubt it."
"We seem to have got off on the wrong foot, I was told
about you, I was told that you were a good man, that I

should come and talk with you as we are similar."
"I'm like you, am I?" asked Father Bryant.
"I wouldn't go that far, but we are on the same side, I have
a more direct approach is all." "Meaning what?"
"It's like this Father, he is a bit fed up, you've been here
for ages, but you keep getting it wrong. It's like that

confessional thing. You say people can repent their sins
to you. But that is what he decides, not you. It's like that
woman, she saw a young boy fall of his bike and land on
her flowers, rather than seeing if he was alright she shouted
at him for damaging her flowers, she can sit in there and
she'll be forgiven her sins. But she knows what happened

she should not get away with the evil she has done, I'm
here to make sure she doesn't."
"Where did that woman just go?" asked Father Bryant.
"I told you, God sits in judgement, she chose to do evil, now
she'll pay, she'll take a ride down that slippery slope."
"That is a bit strong isn't it?"

"Maybe, but then you'll never have a heaven on earth if
you keep allowing the evil to be here. But I'll be going, lots
more to do," said Suzette.
Father Bryant looked about, he knew he was to see some-
one but he couldn't remember who. Why was he sat there,
why was he alone?

"What did she have to say to you?" asked Father Lucas.
"Who?"
"The woman you were just talking to."
"I was, I don't remember her, or anything come to that.
Who was she?"
"Her name is here, in the register, it's a Suzette De Vilre."

"I don't recognised the name, I'm about
finished here, but I'll jot her name down. I'm going to see
Allan in the bookshop, see what he wants."
As he drove to see Allan he tried to remember about Suzette.
"Hello Father you are here at just the right time, they've
settled down a bit."

"Who are they?" asked the Father.
"I'm not sure to sure who they are, I mean I've been given
their names, and a friend at the church said they had been
told to come and see me, they've all been a bit depressed
recentley. They are theologians, they've been looking forward
to his return, but all they have found of late has been about

anothers return, I think the passage is Refiluc 15. They all
search of the past trying to predict the future, they are
Evette, Fiona, Ian and Larry."
"Well if they like trying to solve things maybe they can help
me. A woman came to see me today, I can't remember a
thing about her, could they tell me anything from her name?"

"Excuse me, this is Father Bryant, he has a slight problem
can you tell me anything about the person from their name?"
Fiona looked at the woman's name, she looked at Allan then
the Father, "Evette should look at this." Giving it to Evette.
"Ok Suzette De Vilre, I think we can forget about the Suzette
RE when used as a prefix is said to be a negative thing. An old

way of thinking, was that RE when used as a suffix was a
positive thing. So we'll keep that aside, and lets look at what
is left, De Vil, or devil, but devil as a positive."
"Your telling me that I just saw the devil?"
"No reason why you couldn't gave, if she gave you no
indication that she was the devil, you'd be none the wiser,

in fact there's no way that you would know," said Evette.
"The question is why would the devil want to see you? what
could the devil get from you," said Ian, "I'd want you to go
back to the church Father, but take Larry and Fiona with you
see what they can find out."
At the church Larry and Fiona hunted around, but even after

two hours they admitted they hadn't seen anything that was
even slightly suspicious. As they sat together, talking the
loud growling that was heard earlier echoed through the
church again, "What a horrible sound, that's, oh! Suzette,
hello, didn't expect to see you again," said Father Bryant.
"May be not Father. Larry, Fiona, you may refer to me as

Suzette, you may call me by other names but I'd prefer it if
you'd call me by my first name, that is what friends do. I
thought I'd just tell you something," said Suzette.
"What's that?" asked Larry.
"It's this noise, the gargoyles make it, they don't like me
being here, they've got a problem with the devil being here."

"When the devil is on earth?" asked Fiona.
"No, they're not that clever, when the devil is on the steps
of the church."
"But how can the devil be in the church?"
"Why not ?" asked Suzette.
"This is hallowed ground," said Larry.

"You've been watching to many of your silly horror films,
look who built the church, do you really think that a man
made structure could stop me. That person who is said to
have died on the cross, wasn't he tempted in the desert?
how would the devil have been able to stand in front of him,
then not be able to be in here. Was he offered death, a way

for his suffering to end? no. He was offered something that
would ensure he lived," said Suzette, "Oh well, to think I'd
be troubled by this place." Suzette walks away from them,
as she reaches the doorway she turns, then steps back.
The gargoyles begin to roar. She smiles and walks away.
Nearly two minutes later Father Lucas is approached by

another woman, he guides her to Father Bryant then walks
away from them to stand by the doors.
"Can I help you miss?" asked Father Bryant.
"Yes, I heard the gargoyles, I came to see if I could help."
"Why would you think we need help?"
"You do know that the gargoyles only roar when the evil one

enters, who did it see?"
"I saw that person, my friends Larry and Fiona her spoke with
her, she isn't evil though," said Father Bryant.
"You, Larry and Fiona can tell lies, but the gargoyles cannot,
Larry could you dress as a woman, and make others believe
you are a woman?" "If I had to, yes, quite easily why?"

"Fooling people into thinking you are something you're not?
tell Allan I was here, and say hello to Ian and Evette."
"Father Bryant? how did she know our names?"
"I think we'd best see Allan," said Fiona.
At Allan's bookshop, they joined Allan and the others.
"We just had another visitor at the church, she knew our

names, but I've never met her and she knew your names,
but she seemed to have met you Allan.
"She said her name is Scherry," said Father Bryant.
"No, she never said her name," said Fiona.
"You met Scherry!, you actually met her!. Wow, this is big.
I really don't know why she came to you, but, just listen

to me, you need to hear this. In the early bible there is
mention of wars, cities where the people were all killed. It is
my belief that there is only one true God, but there are those
that fight in his name, and there are those that lead
those that fight in his name, one of those is the Goddess
Medusera, Scherry. If she is here, now, there's a reason."

"When Suzette was with me, talking with me, I did feel a bit
uneasy, with Scherry, I felt happy," said Father Bryant.
"When that strange event at Stonehenge happened I
searched through the books, trying to find any reference
to her and hers, then after the reports of that place near
Stow-In-The-Wold, I was sat here thinking of other

places to look when in she came. We talked for a while
then she took me to another place a couple of hundred
miles from here."
"Did it take you long to get there?" asked Ian.
"Two, maybe three seconds." They all looked at Allan.
Unnoticed by them Allan flicked a piece of paper at the
bookshelves. "Your here now, aren't you Scherry?"

"No, I am here, so are you. Ian, pick a book from the
shelves any book you want to choose." Ian went to the
books, tried to pick one but his fingers passed through it.
"You are all with me, it is near Torbryan, the place is called
Maidenscombe Manor, you are all safe here," said Scherry.
The bookshop faded, then they knew that they were all

where they were told they were.
"Allan? are they ready to meet us," said Scherry.
"Evette is ready, I'm not to sure about the others though,
when you say others, what do you mean?" asked Allan.
"The evil is in Leamington Spa, you need to know of us."
Father Bryant looked around, he saw that Allan and Evette

weren't with them, "Didn't even get chance to say goodbye."
"That picture?, who are they?" asked Evette.
"What Allan said, I choose all those who fight in the war in
his name, the picture is of the Generals in the army."
"This picture looks old, how old is it?" asked Evette.
"I'm not sure seven maybe eight hundred years old, why?"

"That's a shame, I'd have liked to have met them."
"There you are Buffy, said she'd like to meet us," said Faith.
Evette looked at them, looked at the picture, Scherry, then
back at them. "Scherry was telling you the truth," said Angel.
"That can't be right," exclaimed Evette.
"Let's see, you were just in Leamington, then you are here."

Evette looked at Allan smiled, "Fair enough, um why are you
glowing?" she turned to Buffy, but she was kneeling, "Allan?"
"That isn't Scherry any-more, it's the Goddess Medusera."
"Allan I'll send you back now, I want you to go and see a
Detective Petra Rivers, she's working on a case we are
interested in see the police chaplain a Sgt Addams. You'll be

with Faith I'll also want Darla, Goddess Darla and Hope to be
with you. Evette, would you like to see and know more
about us?" "That's a big yes," said Evette, smiling widely.

Just past the village of Dunchurch in the Warwickshire,
eleven people were walking through the trees as the light of
day faded. Getting to their place of worship, Steven and
Laura put the trunk down, opening it, Michael and Annabelle
began to organise the place. Steven cleared a nine foot
diameter circle, the cauldrons were placed at the four points

of the compass, a log was brushed covered with the cloth
then the sacred tools were placed on it, an old camera
tripod was positioned with a torch to illuminate their book of
shadows. Steven having cleared the circle told them to stay
in the middle while he held the Athame, brought his power
to it then cast the circle of protection.

As Suzette walked out of the shadows, the fires were lit and
praise to the Gods of the winds was offered.
"Are you ready yet?" asked Suzette, "are you going to begin."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here, I've cast our circle
of protection, I can't let you in. You should leave here as
we may attract demons."

"Oh you will, but they are ok," said Suzette.
"You think demons are ok? why?" asked Michael.
"And why not, oh right the church says so. How long ago
did the Catholic church say that their people should read
the Grimoire? tell me if the devil wanted to enter your
circle would you let him?"

"Of course not," replied Annabelle.
"And that would be because people knocked on your door,
tried to get you to buy a copy of the Watchtower, an told
you that witches are all evil that they are devil worshippers,
did you believe them?"
"Of course we didn't believe them."

"Which bit? about you being devil worshippers? or the devil
was it that the devil is evil. That to me is odd, you know
they are ok with lying, but you only choose to believe
some of what they told you?"
"That's not exactly how it happened." Annabelle looked at
the others, "what should I say?"

A winged demon flew down to them, it landed outside their
circle, it noticed who it was near, "Sorry master, I didn't
realise you would be here."
"That thing, it called you its master!, then your, you are
the devil," said Steven. Before Suzette could reply six more
winged demons flew down and joined her.

"You really shouldn't believe everything that you are told."
Suzette unfurled her wings, her skin turned a fiery red stone.
The other demons eyes flashed blood red. More large wings
were heard flying down to them. Four demons fell to the
ground as seven of The Elite moved from the trees. The
witches, huddled in fear in the centre of the circle saw a

hand appear to them.
"If you want to leave here in safety." Andrea appeared to
them as did her charge.
"Demon Hunter! why are you here?" spat Suzette.
"For the same reason we are," said Buffy and Angel.
The witches gratefully took the help that was offered. The

Elite unloaded their crossbows in the the demons. Suzette
flew of with three arrows in her, but she was the only one.

Detective Rivers was sat at her desk as they walked into
her room, she looked up, recognising the chaplain then Hope.
"Oh, hello. How can I help you, I'm sorry who are......?"
"I'm Allan, this is Darla, Faith and Hope, We've been asked to
come here to help with a problem you've got."
"We've just had a report in, three bodies were found in the

River Leam earlier this morning. The reports in the other
room." Allan and the chaplain went with her, in the next room
Petra showed them the report.
"I'll show the others," she said
"They won't be there," said Allan.
"Where will they be, who are they again?"

"At a guess I'd say they are where the bodies were found.
You know Hope, but Faith is a General of the Armed Forces
of Byzantium and the other is the Goddess Darla."
There looking at the weir under the footbridge at the side
of the park were Darla, Faith and Hope.
"What time were the bodies found Hope?" asked Faith.

"About six this morning, why?"
"It's just that the river is flowing slowly, I think we need
some-one to look at the bodies, what is up the river?"
"There's a small village, Radford Semele," replied Darla.
"Then can you contact Garet at Hillhouse, get him to ring
Det Rivers, close the bridges over the river and all roads

where the river can be seen, I'll want our people to search
the banks. I'd want Sue and Curremy to check on the
bodies as well," said Faith. "It'll be done," replied Darla.
Within the minute Garet was ringing Det. Rivers.
"Hello, my names Garet, I'm calling on behalf of some visitors
you just had, Darla, Hope and Faith, they want all roads

closed near the river where the bodies were found, to
Radford Semele and clearance for two of their people to
see the bodies." "I'll do what I can with the roads, but I
can get their people in to see the bodies, when can they
be there, and where are they now?"
"They are near Tintagel right now, but as soon as you

get clearance they will be there. I get the feeling that this
find is important, so the sooner you get the roads closed
the better, hang on a sec, what's that Scherry?. How many
are going? WHAT! THAT MANY! bloody hell!, Petra! get them
roads closed fast. We've got two hundred there now,
there's another three thousand heading that way, and you

don't want to know how many are ready to leave here, the
devil itself has just been seen near there, this could be big."
"I'm getting a message from Curremy,"said Darla, "oh, the
bodies had only been in the water for an hour, and they'd
been turned."
"Why? what's the reason for that?" asked Hope.
"If they'd have put in the water recently, being turned they

turn to dust in the sunlight. It's quite possible that they
were put in the water here," said Faith. Hope and Faith look
at the house nearby. Darla I'll still want the river banks
checked, just in case, but......."
"Hang on there's an old
church near here, it may have cattacombs," said Hope.

"That's a point, Buffy are you here?" asked Faith.
Buffy appeared near them.
"What is it Faith.
"The church on the corner, can you look inside, see how
many are inside, then see how many vampires are
underneath?"

"Back in a minute." As said, a minute later she re-appeared.
"There's about twenty humans in the church, underneath it
there must be at least a hundred vampires."
"Alright, so what do you girls reckon we need?" asked Darla.
They talked amongst themselves.
"Darla, get a message to the police shut the town down,

near the church as we will."
"Get six of the winged unicorns and ten of the Elite at every
road around the church and on the bridge over the river
All the demon hunters and vampire slayer will need to be
ready to appear. Darla, can you appear as a ten foot high
scorpion in the church," asked Buffy.

"Yes, but why?"
"If all the people are scared out of the church, their screams
will help the human people to accept our being their, but I'll
want the Goddesses Turee and T'ara to be ready to help.
When the people come out of the church our people must
become visible straight away and in battledress and ready.

Det. Rivers picked up the phone, "Petra! listen its Garet! the
church near the park just passed the bridge, there's about
a hundred demons in there, we're going in now, shut the
town down, and fast."
"How will we now your people?" asked Petra.
"Just look for the winged unicorns, now go!."

Suddenly all the roads were blocked as six Winged white
unicorns with ten of The Elite appeared.
Darla appeared at the back of the church as a huge Scorpion
All the shops around the church emptied fast as people ran
screaming from the church, seventy of the Elite appeared at
the side exits to the church as seven hundred Elite, hunters

and slayers appeared running along the road sides,
protecting the humans, a hundred and fifty broke ranks
charging into the church. From inside the wails and scream
of vampires being ripped apart echoed into the streets,
twenty vampires ran from the doors as the sunlight slammed
into then they burst into flames, then as quickly as they

came the Elite, Riders, slayers and hunters vanished.
In the bookshop Fiona, Larry and Ian sat up as the light in
the room intensified. Then standing before them was Evette
and the Goddess Medusera. "What you read, Refiluc 15. That
was of today, of my and mine." She vanished.
For three weeks the Riders flew, trying to find the devil, but
they couldn't find her.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

The New Angel Investgations Part 3 Ch 46

The New Angel Investigations pt 3 CH 46

F. E. T. I. PARK

As Molly flew over the world, she could feel that several vampires
were near. She flew down to what appeared to be a theme park.
Seeing that there was fifteen vampires there she called the others
like her. As more unicorns landed the Goddess Medusera arrived.
"What is it Molly," she asked.

"Vampires, many of them, but I can't see why they would be here?,
can you get the Myth Investigators here?" asked Molly.
"I can, where are we?" "When I came here I saw a town nearby, I
think it was Toodyay," replied Diana.

A journalist, Mr. David Jacobson was talking to the town's school
principal, a Mrs. Guthries and the school vice principal Sarah Dewson.
"The school is due to hold an open night next week, there is a display
for the night, it's about schooling in the area last century, several of
the students put it together. We held a special night for families of the

children who put the display together," said Mrs. Guthries.
"That's when I heard about it, what did happen?" said Mr. Jacobson.
"We've got several photos of the cramped conditions throughout the
shire. One of the boys, his mother and grandmother were here. The
boy, Graham said about some-one who taught some of the children

how to read and write, mainly the ones with learning difficulties. He
was even paid by the authorities because he was doing such a good
job, that's when the problem's started. Graham's grandmother said she
recognised the man that taught her to write back in the early
thirties, then Graham's mother saw who taught her, thing is it was

the same man, he looked exactly the same. While that was going on a
photo we've got of the people who built the young kiddies sand pit, he
was seen in that one and he still looks about forty."
"So?"
"The photo by the kiddies sand pit was taken over seventy years later

that puts him as being a hundred and ten. The early photo was
borrowed from a museum that had the photo checked for it's age, so
how come he is that old?" asked Sarah. "Good question," David said.
"Course the other thing is, is he an Alien or a vampire? either way
I'd like to thank him," said Sarah.

"I'll run with that, see what answers we get," said the journalist.
Over the next few weeks many enquiries were made, the man had
other people with him, and they hadn't aged either.
"There is a tale about the local character Moondyne Jack, some
stories say about him working on a sheep station called Moondyne,

some are a bit more colourful, but one is about three people who kept
him supplied with meat, and they only appeared at night. It has been
said that is moon dine, but well, that could have been spelt wrong."
"The school has been trying to find out about them, they lived near
here, but no-one knows where," stated Mrs. Guthries.

"I'll put it in the paper again, there's a meeting at the school about
them, so that'll be included."
So two weeks later at the meeting, several people voiced there
concerns, mention was made of the children being to scared to be
alone at home or at school, or even going to school.

"What do you suggest them?" asked Sarah Dewson.
"You said about Aliens or Vampires Sarah, now if it's aliens that's one
thing but a demon? who do we now that could help us with that?"
"We might be able to help," Faith stood up, "I'm here with the Myth
Investigators, there are quite a few of us here. There's a FETI Park

near here, we can start there. We will find all the answers for you,
and they'll be no charge."
Not surprisingly there was a rapturous applause for them.
So two days later, some of the Myth team were headed for FETI park.
"What does F.E.T.I. stand for?" asked Garet.

"Not to sure but there are many films that have S.E.T.I. in them and
that is Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence," said Faith.
"Is there a connection there?" asked Chaser.
"That's a good point, also, what-ever the 'F' stands for there's a
memory of it so it's good advertising," said Mark.

"I know my mum wouldn't want me to say it," remarked Fred.
"Why's that?" asked Mark.
"My mum told me not to use the 'F' word," said Fred, smiling.
As they drove into the park several Alien figures could be seen, then
Garet pointed to the ridge, "Look at that!"

There, was a space-ship. The lane passed it, so they stopped and
went for a look. On a plaque, This is a copy of a spaceship seen over
Britain, Mexico and Moscow, it crashed near the city of Moscow.
"It's a good copy, I mean it's made of metal, I don't like to say this
but I think it might be real," said Garet, "come on, let's keep going."

Down the lane a bit, "Hmm, a cross roads, that way there's another
space ship, and another to the right. Straight ahead to the main
buildings and there's a space ship in there," said Mark.
"Straight ahead, James," called Faith.
As they walked into the building Fred commented on the lighting.

"Your right Fred, there is no natural light in here," said Chaser.
"Just the thing for vampires, and guess what, they do trips, but only
at night, sound like a good idea," suggested Chaser.
On the way out, Garet was deciding which way to leave.
"I didn't see that way out before, lets go down there," said Mark.

Following Mark's way out, it wasn't long before signs were seen.
"This, Way, To, See a, Mother Of a Space ship, Of the one in the
main building," said Fred as they passed them. Rounding a corner.
"Holy Crap! look at the size of it!" exclaimed Chaser.
"It's got to be a mile round, and there's nothing underneath it."

"But it's almost ten foot up, what's keeping it there?" asked Fred.
While they were looking at it a van pulled up.
"Impressive isn't it, but make the most of it, it'll be going soon."
"Why's that?" asked Garet.
"The owners want it back." Garet looked at him, "What?"

Sitting in the car Faith asked Fred, "Did you notice anything about
them, like they travel in a van with darkened windows, or that one
of them didn't get out at all. Maybe you noticed that the younger of
them was the same person in those photos at the school, but the
other thing you wouldn't have noticed, they were all vampires."

Arriving back in Toodyay they saw some posters in shop windows, it
appeared that the 'people' they found were becoming local
celebratories. Some of the others had found where the 'people' lived
they said that the school was planning a trip to the place.
"I think we'd best go with them," remarked Fred.

The next morning a few of them arrived at the school nice and early,
some children were waiting near a mini-bus, coming out of the school
were the vice principal, a teacher and some-one from a local volunteer
bush fire brigade. The school had brought food and drinks for the
children, the fire brigade had let the kids have a hard hat each.

The journey was uneventful, almost boring except when the wheel
ruts got to deep, the people had only used a wagon and horses.
Following the grooves left by the wagon the cave was easy to find.
The teacher from the school went in first, he put lights on the cave
walls, but as he said it was such a small cave. Once it was well lit

he allowed the children in. The floor of the cave sloped gently, but
it seemed as though it was just for the horses and the wagon.
One of the children called out for the teacher.
"Mr. Mathews sir, I've found some boot prints, but they go into the
wall, one of them seems to be half covered by a rock," said Susan.

"That's good, when you find the way in let us know," replied Sarah.
A high pitched scream sent them all running. Looking around no sight
was seen of Susan. Looking more carefully at the walls the children
began to move back to where they were.
"Sir! Sir! there's a torch light on my ankle sir," called Geoff.

"So?"
"The light is coming from the wall," said Geoff, with tears in his eyes.
"Geoff, Geoff, it's me, it's Susan."
"But your in the wall," he said.
"I'm in a passage way, I'll show you the way." She showed her hand.
Geoff ran from the cave, screaming. Sarah went to him, trying to

comfort him, then Faith saw what caused him to react like that, she
shone her torch light to where Geoff was, highlighting Susan's hand
sticking out of a rock. Going towards it Fred touched the hand.
"Who's that?" called Susan. "It's Fred, I'm with the Myth people."
"When I couldn't find the way in I saw my boot lace was loose, so I

put it on a rock to do up, and fell into here, you try it."
Fred slowly moved her hand into to the rock, then into it.
"Good grief," exclaimed Fred, "there's nothing there." She walked
through it, presently they all followed. The passage opened up into
a large cavern, in it were the comforts of home, what drew there

interest were all the books and bits of paper.
"Collect all that stuff we'll sort through it later," said Faith.
It was nearly four before they'd got back. Faith, Fred, Wesley, Garet,
Mark and Chaser began to sort the piles of books. When the children
had finished unloading the mini-bus Fred spoke to Garet.

"I didn't mention it earlier but behind a bookself was another passage
it might be a good idea to check it out later tonight, with a few of
the others." During the evening the books were sorted.
"There most of them sorted, there's books on making power from
the sun, the wind. How plants react to various chemicals, there was

a report about Stonehenge, some of the writing in the exercise books
I've never seen before. There is a book on astrology it had a bit of
paper in it, about a planet in a near galaxy," said Wesley.
"Is it to early to go back there?" asked Fred.
"I'll see if the others are ready," said Faith, ".......seems like they are,

they will meet us there." "Do they know where to go?" asked Fred.
"Yes, Curremy was with us before," replied Faith.

Back in the cave, Fred showed them the entrance to the other
passage. Following her lead in the passage the whole place suddenly
lit up, there in the middle was a stone circle.
"How can we find oyt where they went?" asked Garet.
"Hang on, when I was sorting out those piles today, one of the piles

had a paperweight, it looked as though there was another there.
What if it wasn't a paperweight but a stone for the circle, the other
one is for the same place?" asked Chaser. "One way to find out."

Standing in the middle of a stone circle Faith and Buffy looked around,
they looked at the three people looking at them.
"Who are you, where have you come from, where are we?" asked Buffy.
"Parkerville, we are,.....who are they?"
"Demon Hunters, Vampire Slayers," said Buffy, "and...........

"Darla!!" the three of them rushed to her, "how are you with them?"
"Walter!, Wayne!, Wynowa!, what are you doing here, and why?"
"We think there are demon here, Senoth demons," replied Walter.
"Have you just come from Toodyay? did you teach kids how to read?"
"Yes, and yes, how did you know?" asked Wayne.

"In a minute, is there any other vampires there?" asked Darla.
Wayne turned to Wynowa, shrugged, "yes, at FETI park, all ones that
you have helped," said Wayne.
"All fifteen of them? Buffy can you go back and stop the attack,
some more to battle the senoths here would be good as well."

"What is going on?" asked Walter.
"We might save you the problem of finding the senoths, shortly, we
will be here," said Darla. Buffy appeared next to her.
"The slayers and hunters are coming as are the Riders and the Elite."
"I take it that you remember Darla as a vampire, Wynowa, can you

feel a fourth vampire?" asked Faith.
"No, what's, why can't I?"
"She isn't as one at the moment, but Darla is the Goddess Darla."
"Explanations later, right now we need to get our people here, Darla
looked to the sky, "when we've got some more information. Walter?

how far are we from Toodyay?" asked Darla.
"About seventy miles,why?"
"A few of them were scouting the area," replied Faith.
"In the morning, Walter, something I think is happening, hold out
your hand." Walter held his hand to Darla and she poured some

water over his hand, with no effects.
"What did you do that for?"
"I've been told it was beginning, no feeling at all?" asked Darla.
"There was a bit of a tingling sensation, why?"
"That was holy water!"

As the morning came closer Walter went to Darla, "I know you
poured the holy water on me, but sunlight is far more powerful,
so we'd best be leaving, let us know if you win?"
"We will win, that is a given, I'll see you later."
The hours passed, the sun rose higher into the sky.

"Now?" asked Scherry. "Now," repeated Buffy.
Faith, Hope and Charity walked down to the house, ringing the
doorbell they waited. Soon the door was opened. Faith talked to
the woman then they came back. "What was there?" asked Scherry.
"Two humans, but the senoths are in the house," said Faith.

"There's several freshly dug holes nearby. We'll get the humans
from the house, can you call the Soldiers here, we'll end them."
Buffy and Faith went back to the house, when the woman
answered the door she appeared a bit more nervous. Faith said
"Some friends of ours had ancestors that lived here, they built the

stone circle, if we give you some rent mony can we stay here, but
we'll need a receipt signed by you and your husband."
Her husband had only been at the door for a second when Faith
and Buffy grabbed them, Hope and Charity ran behind, they had
only gone thirty paces when they stopped to face the senoth

demons chasing them. The owners were shocked when their clothes
changed and they were suddenly surrounded by fifty Elite. The
demons turned back towards the house but were cut down by a hail
of arrows from the Elite, nine senoths came crashing through the
house windows only to face the lines of the Elite, they didn't have

chance to breathe in. The soldiers appeared as they went into the
holes in the ground. The owners weren't to fussed about the broken
windows, Darla said she was going to go to FETI Park, she asked
Faith to go to the school.


TO BE CONTINUED

 

[ILLYRIAN]

THE NEW ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS pt 3 CH 47

The New Angel Investigations pt 3 CH 47

OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

THE DIG

Hope, Anne, Molly, Scherry and Garet were going to
Coventry to see Dawn, they had decided to travel by
car and see St Albans. While there, Garet had gone to the
local newspaper to place an advert. He had, by the time he
left agreed to write a weekly column, and answer their

readers questions about everything supernatural. Joining the
others and visiting a few of their friends, by the time they
left the realisation that they had spent to long in St Albans
was becoming very evident. They agreed to stop and let
Dawn know that they would be late. They didn't see what

the name of the place was, so while Scherry looked about
Hope went to ask some people about to get into a car. As
it was they knew the place quite well, they had been at an
archaeological dig a few miles away. They told Hope the
name of the village, and Hope told Scherry who rang Dawn,

telling her they were at Ryton-On-Dunsmore. Dawn said
that they weren't far away and she'd go to them.
Molly and Scherry waited for Dawn while Anne, Garet and
Hope went to the site of the dig. When the three of them
got there they wandered about. Garet became interested

in what was being unearthed. It was eight foot down, but
the soil was still fairly dry and the wind was slowly clearing
it, Garet could see that there were markings on the rock.
Anne asked him what he was so interested in, he pointed.
Hope looked about, then went into one of the tents. In it

were two archaeologists, they were discussing the
mornings finds when one of them noticed Hope.
"Who are you? what do you want?"
"I am Hope, who are you?"
"I'm Professor Brown, this is Dr. Fredricks."

"Thanks, I was looking at the rock that's being uncovered,
I'd say that it's a cover stone and as we don't know what's
underneath I'd appreciate you letting our experts have a
look at it first, umm, what are you hiding from me."
"And you are? and these experts are? and we're not hiding

anything." "So what is it?" asked Hope.
"From what we can tell it's a human skull," said Dr. Fredricks.
Hope looked at it.
"That isn't a......."
"Before you look to closely."

"Dawn looked at it.'
"What is it Dawn?"
"It isn't a human skull, it's the wrong shape, weight, the
eye sockets are to close together. Hello Buffy, what brings
you here?" "I heard about what you're seeing, so I'm here."

At nearby Stretton-On-Dunsmore. The local historian was
showing several interested children the mould of a skull that
had been found after a small earthquake, "it appears as
though he was running then fell. It could have been that it
was running then fell against some rocks."

"It would have been running fast to have caused that
much damage to it's head," said Beth one of the children.
"Why do you say that?"
"Look at it, it's all wrong. I reckon it's an alien's skull."
The historian looked at the mould, then at Beth.

"One of my cousins said she knew some-one who was into
that sort of thing, I'll get a message to her," said Beth.
"Okay, but what you said earlier, saying it comes from
another planet and proving it will be difficult."
"No it won't, a simple phone call to an UFO magazine will do

then a DNA test to prove it," said Beth.
"It could be arranged," said the Historian.

The police had been getting several reports of damage
being caused to an empty shop in Stretton, a detective
had been sent there from Leamington, when he looked
into the history of the place there was several reports of
demons being seen there. The case was dropped, but the

Myth Investigators were asked to continue the investigation.
The next day Sue and Curremy went to the shop, after
looking at the place Sue paid particular attention to the foot
prints, she rang Hillhouse.
"Hello, oh Fred, Sue here. This place at Stretton-On-

Dunsmore, there's some foot prints that could do with a bit
of checking, can you call up Scherry?'
"We just heard from the place where they are, they've got
something, the alarm bells are starting to ring there. But
I'll get her to contact you, that's a thought, they're just up

the road from you."
Scherry spoke to Sue a few minutes later.
"Curremy and I are at a place that's got some foot prints I'd
like you to see, and there's some writing under the floor of
this place." "We're nearby, come and see us," said Scherry.

Arriving there, they saw what Garet was looking at and knew
something was wrong. "Those are the same markings at the
place we're at a few miles away in Stretton," said Curremy.
"Alright it doesn't sound good, but there's nothing to say it's
evil, not even the skull," said Anne.

"Skull, what skull?" asked Sue. Anne showed her the skull.
"I wonder what these are like compared with our place, may
be if Garet came to have a look, we'd know."
Garet went to Stretton, he looked at the marks on the rock.
"We can forget about them being marks, they are some

form of writing, but I don't know what," said Garet, "what
sort of shop was this, see if it'll help us."
"I'm not sure, there's some kids nearby, I'll ask them."
"Don't go anywhere you two," said Curremy, "Goddess T'ara
is coming here very soon, something about a girl from here

wanting to speak to some-one about a skull."
"So, what all that about?"
"I'll just go and find out what sort of shop this was."
"The person that the message is for is Charity, Garet ask
if Beth is out there?" asked Curremy.

Garet went to see the local kids, while Beth wasn't there,
one of the lads said that he would get her. Garet turned
to go back in the house, just in time to see the blue light
of Goddess T'ara bringing Charity.
"Hey mister! Beth's just up here, back in a minute!" called

the from down the road a bit.
Running to the house came a girl of twelve or thirteen.
"Hi, I'm Beth, what do you want?"
"Two things, first up, what was this shop and secondly
what do you want with Charity?" asked Garet.

"Well, it was a sweet shop and, Charity! how come you're
here so quick?, oh sorry I don't know you," said Beth.
"Beth? why do you want to speak to me?" asked Charity.
"The local historian has a strange skull, I remembered that
you are good with the weird stuff so I thought of you.

The skull that he's got, I think it's an alien."
"Garet, can you get Hope here?" "Beth, this is Faith,
another friend of Charity's is going to come out of the
house soon. Can you take them to see the skull," said Garet
Before long Beth was leading to the historian's place, going

into the building she introduced them to the historian.
"What can I do for you girls?"
"We'd like to look at the skull, Beth asked me to come here."
"She's the one I mentioned," said Beth.
"Fair enough, but no touching please."

Hope took a short look at it, as did Faith. Faith whispered
to Charity, "Tell her to get the others here."
As Beth left then closed the door behind her.
"Sorry about that," said Hope, "but we'd like to borrow
that skull."

"Hope, I think you'd better explain quicker Buffy is about
to be here," said Faith.
"Hang on." The historian turned around then started
sorting through bits of paper, he was so busy he wasn't
even aware that Buffy had emerged in the room, so he was

a bit startled when he faced them, "Hi, er, I've got this
cutting with a picture of a girl at Cambridge. Now, that is
you isn't it Hope?" Hope turned to Faith.
"That is Hope," replied Faith.
"Hope is a demon hunter, you all are?" asked the historian,

"so why would you want the skull?"
"Because that is the skull of a senoth demon, and I'm
fairly certain it's the same as one found in Ryton today. We
want to make sure," said Buffy.
"But we aren't all demon hunters, Charity is a vampire slayer

Faith is our General and Buffy is the General of the Elite."
"Look, you can borrow the skull, but I would like it back,
I'll let you have the case." He turned to get the case but
when he faced them again they had gone. Instead he
took to dusting the other glass display cabinets.

"Who's this?" He turned to see Beth looking at the picture
"It's that girl." "Yes, that was Hope. You have some very
powerful friends Beth." "I have?"
"You don't know? keep this to yourself then, your friend,
Charity she is a vampire slayer."

At the shop.
"I'm going to go to see The We," said Sue, "Scherry
should be with me, I'm pretty sure I've seen this type of
writing at their places."
"Wasn't there something else here?" asked Faith.

"The footprints, I think they were just boot prints." said Sue.
"Bootprints, that'd indicate childrens boots," said Sue.
"Could be midget demons in boots," said Garet.
"Hang on...........that's better, just wanted to get that
comment out of my memory," said Hope.

At Hillhouse Christina was going into the main office.
"That stuff they're doing at Stretton and Ryton. Just
a thought, but what if the cover stones are there for the
reason of stopping others from using it?"
"As what?"

"A way in or out of Hell," said Christina.
"I'll pass that on," said Mark.
Anne picked the phone from her pocket.
"Anne, it's Mark. Christina just suggested what you may
have is a way in or out of hell under those stones."

"Curremy, can you contact Scherry, ang ask her to get back
Christina just said it might be a way out of hell, down there."
"Goddess Medusera and Sue are in Ryton, You of The We
is with them, no, there coming here, any second n......
"What did you find out?" asked Faith.

"The We put the seals there. There's a senoth burial
chamber there, so here as well," said Goddess Medudera,
"I wasn't aware of this but the Egyptians got there
knowledge of mummification from the senoth demons, the
stone and the skulls were to keep the demon out of the

burial chamber as we know a senoth replicates by forcing
its victim to breathe in part of it's essence. Thing is they
can do that to the dead. But as You has checked the seals
and he said that they are intact, we can go back to what
we were doing," said Goddess Medusera.

"I'm glad Christina was wrong then," said Anne.
"Why, what did she think?" asked Goddess Medusera.
"She thought they might be ways out of hell," replied Anne.
"Probably not, the nearest I know of is near Kenilworth, but
That one is being guarded, might check up on the Guardians

soon, hopefully they can leave soon."
"Why? how long have they been there?" asked Hope.
"Seven, maybe eight thousand years, I was friendss with
both of them before they went there, when I see them
again, that'll be soon enough," said Goddess Medusera.

"There is one thing though?" asked Hope.
"What's that Hope."
"Goddess T'ara picked up on Beth's phone call really quick?"
"Beth didn't even phone us, she had only thought about
ringing, as I was told by Scherry, the Goddess Medusera

will be contacting Beth in about six years time, to join with
us," said Charity.

TO BE CONTINUED